Bound to Happen
by Ari204
Summary: Noctis has been homeschooled for a couple of years after the attention had proved to be too much for him being the prince. After the traumatizing daemon attack, everyone though it was best for him. Now, he is doing better and more confident he can handle any unwanted attention he grabs from classmates since he has realized he cannot stop that. He tries to not worry about his father
1. Chapter 1

Bound to Happen

Chapter 1: First Day

"Noctis!" Ignis yelled through the young prince's door "Get up! You're going to be late to your first day of school!"

"Ugh!" Noctis grumbled, throwing the sheets off of him.

Noctis forgot how unbearingly early you had to wake up for school. He used to attend Insomnia Central Elementary school, before the attention got to him and caused him to retreat to his large home for the rest of his years. The first three years were normal enough for him. The people then were just young children and all they cared about were juice boxes and play time. Noctis never really played though, he was too shy as a kid so, he would stay in the classroom and sit, or help the teacher if she needed any with things such as picking and putting up supplies. In second grade, a heavy-set blonde boy was introduced into Noctis' class as a new student. Noctis to this day could never recall his name as they never really spoke much but they did on occasion and the blonde sometimes even stayed in during recess too, since he didn't have many friends.

The third grade was when things started changing for Noctis. The kids in his grade and classes began to realize he was play pretending to be a prince and that he was actually a real prince. They saw what everyone sees in royalty. He was rich, got everything his heart desired, never had to worry about getting into trouble because he was allowed to do whatever he wanted, and was loved and adored by everyone, far and wide. The only thing that had been true was that his family was rich but they didn't spend it carelessly or flaunt it and Noctis was only allowed so much money to spend a month, his father slightly increasing the amount as he got older. Now, at age 15, he was given 10,000 Lucians each month. The other stuff they thought, was garbage to him. He was spoiled sure but he didn't get everything he wanted, he still had to earn some things. Ignis made sure to keep the prince's head grounded once he began his duty as Noctis' advisor. The third one, he always laughed at. He was constantly nagged by Ignis or shrieked at by Gladiolus, his protector and trainer. His father was also not afraid to ground him for things. He was disobedient at times, mainly because he wanted freedom. Every teenager wanted to be free and independent but Noctis had what he believed to be the tightest leash of them all. He in fact did have citizens who did adore him but as being the son of a king, not everyone agreed with the ways things were ran and somehow considered that Noctis' fault. He was certainly not admired by Niflheim for sure.

By the fifth grade, some students grew jealous of him. They totally excluded him and some made fun of him for his hair or his carbuncle charm on his book bag. He wasn't really bullied a lot but when he was, it hurt him deep down, though he would never show it. For the ones who didn't bully him which were a number far larger than the amount of bullies, thankfully, they crowded over him and constantly questioned his life. This caused anxiety deep embed within him and his father thought it was best to pull him out and become homeschooled.

Noctis grew terribly bored seeing the same people in the same atmosphere every day, Ignis, Gladio, his dad, and staff. He didn't have any real friends and never had anyone to hang out with. He convinced Ignis that the reason he was always so moody and "depressed" as Ignis would call it, to put him back in public school and be among people his own age and just be able to be a teenager. It was many trials and tribulations, along with pleading, that he finally said yes, he would speak to his father. The king was concerned and hesitant about his decision but Ignis had believed it would help Noctis and that was enough for Regis to say yes to his son's happiness.

Noctis walked over to his desk where Ignis had left his uniform neatly. He groggily removed his current t-shirt and sweatpants. In the mirror, he could see a small but deep scar on his abdomen from when he was attacked by a daemon when he was younger and he proceed to put the garment of his uniform on. He pulled on his blazer and looked once again at the mirror to tie his tie.

"Eh, what?" he had it in a nasty knot and was embarrassed to admit he didn't know how to tie a tie.

He finally untied the knot and slung his tie over his shoulder and set off to the dining room where Ignis had his breakfast ready for him.

He entered through the large ornate doors to the dining room. Gladio was standing next to it like he always had. Ignis was placing the meal in the spots where Noctis and his father usually ate. Regis sat at his end of the table smiling at his son. Noctis was in complete shock, his father hardly ever had time or was well enough for meaningless meals such as this and he returned his father's smile, walking to his place at the table.

"Hey dad, not used to seeing you at breakfast. I'm still going to school, right?" Noctis now convinced his father may indeed have changed his mind.

Regis nodded and chuckled a little, a rare sight "Of course you are! You have not changed your mind, have you?" he raised an eyebrow, his son often did change his mind last minute.

"No! Its, just different seeing you at this time casually. Almost thought something was wrong." The king's son was starting to feel relieved. He was genuinely worried his father had decided for him not to go or if his father had more problems show up in his latest health checkup but then again, his father might not would have been smiling.

"What, can I not see my son before his first day of school?" he jested, acquiring a laugh from Noctis.

"It's technically not my first day of school dad. Plus, you're usually too busy for stuff like this." His smile slightly faltered.

"I am never too busy for my son!" the king looked slightly hurt at what his son said. He had been very busy lately with Niflheim negotiations and keeping them from declaring war. "And it is your first day Noctis. Your first day at public school in years and your very first day of high school. These years here are-" Noctis cut his father off before he could continue.

"My best years of my life yea, but I'm the prince." He countered to the cliché statement he knew his father had meant. "That load of crap is for normal teenagers. I'm not normal. I have these powers. I have to train to for my life or for others in case of assassination or war. I have to worry about thousands of people and a country, not something normal teenagers worry about. I have no time for." He was trying to hold back tears, remembering the blonde boy who would rarely but still talk to him and eat with him at lunch. The blonde always brought salads of types and Noctis always wondered how he enjoyed them. He considered him a "friend" and all these years he feels he abandoned the boy. "And dad, your health…" he always hated thinking about his dad's health and how it was getting worse.

"Do not think about my health, that is not for you to worry about and you don't have to worry about most of the things you listed until you are crowned King. I want you to know if you have friends you have been meaning to spend time with I will arrange time in your schedule son, you know I will." He was stern with his tone.

"How am I not supposed to worry about you!?" he slammed his fists on the table causing the silverware to clank. "YOU'RE MY DAD!"

"Yes, but I am fine Noctis, please do not stress more than you need to, you will have plenty of time for that later in life. Now, eat your food." He gestures to the plate of eggs and toast with a glass of orange juice.

"Fine." Noctis was always a sloppy eater. He was loud with his utensils and was dropping crumbs everywhere.

As he ate, a servant watched disgusted by the mess she was going to have to clean up and as they both finished their meal she gathered the dishes to the kitchen. After she was gone, Ignis came in walking by Gladiolus and the two exchanging a nod. Ignis brushed a couple of crumbs off of the prince's blazer and saw the undone tie.

"Noct. Why have you not done your tie yet?" he gave a stern look to the young man.

Noctis fiddled with his fingers in his lap with his head down "I, uh…" he was growing red in embarrassment.

Gladio chuckled and saw right through Noctis' embarrassment. "Wow! The crowned prince doesn't know how to tie a tie!"

"Shut it Gladio!" Noctis snapped. Gladio only laughed louder.

"Is this true Noct?" Ignis spoke and he and Regis gave the prince a concerned look. The advisor slightly ashamed and doesn't recall teaching the prince to tie a tie.

"Kinda…" Noctis avoided eye contact with everyone.

Ignis sighed along with the king. The spectacled man grabbed the tie off of Noctis' shoulder and then pulled it around Noctis' neck and proceeded to tie his tie for him. The young man was so embarrassed. He should know these things, if he were to be respected as the future king.

Gladio was still laughing "Noctis, get your bag and meet me at the car." Ignis grabbed the chuckling man by the ear and drug him out wincing in pain.

Noctis wondered how Ignis could get away with that, if he tried he would have a hell of training to do. Noctis never questioned it further his stubbornness was already punishment to Gladio. He grabbed his bag and proceeded through the Citadel's long and seemingly endless hallways and large decorative doors.

Ignis was already waiting in the car and ready to go of course. He was always as swift as light and sometimes Noctis swore he was inhuman with his kind of speed and being perfect in almost everything. The prince climbed in the back of the very comfortable and luxurious car Ignis used when driving Noctis around. He rarely used the Regalia unless he was teaching the fifteen-year-old to drive so he could be used to it since, the king had planned to announce it as a gift for Noctis on his 16th birthday on August 30th of summer of next year. He always enjoyed having a birthday before school started, no one made a big deal and he didn't have to waste a day he was supposed to enjoy working.

"Everything in order Noct?" his advisor looked at him through the rearview mirror.

Noctis whipped out his phone to play King's Knight. "Mhmm." Was all he replied.

"Very well then." Ignis returned his attention to the road.

The school wasn't that far away from the Citadel, it was maybe 10 minutes. It was one left from the gates and a straight road to the school. They passed a blonde walking up the hill and Noctis couldn't imagine himself walking voluntarily anywhere.

Ignis pulled up in the circle around where parents dropped their own kids off at the school. "Well, I hope you have a good day Noct. If you feel it is too overwhelming, call me, Gladio, or your father and I will come to get you but if you can please refrain from calling your father unless it is a panic attack."

Noctis as halfway out the door "I'll be fine specs, I'm not a cry baby anymore."

Ignis sat there for a moment and watched as Noctis had entered the school. Feeling bad him and the others bet on the prince's mental health and wondering whose would actually be correct. They had all bet on when the prince would crack under pressure from either the attention he didn't want from others or realized he didn't want to be at a public school anymore. Gladio had bet the earliest time, right in the middle of his first class. Ignis was the second with him calling after lunch. His father Regis had hope in his son to stay the whole day but still expected Noctis to change his mind about school when he got home that day. Ignis got out of his thought with the sounds of honks behind him and drove back to the Citadel.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The New Student

The halls were crowded and loud with chatter from the other students. The atmosphere was completely foreign to him, he mostly avoided any of the royal gatherings. So, an area with that many people were a shock to him. He looked around as he saw the halls adorn the lockers and school bulletin boards. He thought to himself that he should find his own locker before his class so he would know where it was beforehand. His locker number was A-37. Ignis had purchased the entire wall section A lockers so Noctis would have more privacy. All of them but one locker and that one belonged to a Prompto Argentum.

Noctis started walking down the hall looking among the lockers to find his own until he finally registered the voices.

"Is that Prince Noctis?" a girl asked.

"OMG, he's so cute!" another girl spoke.

"Do you think he has a girlfriend?" a third asked.

He began to feel as if the whole school's eyes were on him watching his every move, which they were, making him feel claustrophobic.

"How many girlfriends do you think he gets a month?" a guy asked his friend.

"Ha! What girl? Don't you see the small twerp?" his friend replied.

"I thought he was homeschooled. Why is he here anyway?"

"Hey!" he felt an arm around his shoulder. "Don't let them bother you! They always try to make newcomers uncomfortable!" The one with his arm around him was a blonde who was vaguely familiar. "Hey!" The blonde shouted at the other student in the hall "He may be the prince but he is still human! Give him some space, 'kay!?"

All the students turned back to what they were doing. Some were feeling ashamed. Some were mad at the blonde for taking up for the prince.

"I hate when people think saying some of those things are okay." The blonde was blushing a little not sure if the prince remembered him or not. "Oh, uh, I'm Prompto! Prompto Argentum, class representative well, soon to be." He paused, shifting his weight slightly "I-I mean soon to be class rep. I've always been Prompto." He smiled nervously.

Noctis chuckled lightly and looked at the blonde "Do I know you?"

Prompto froze, not expecting the prince to actually recognize him. "Uh, no. Sorry man, must be a different blonde."

Noctis looked at Prompto again, closer this time. "No. I'd definitely recognize the hair and I know I've heard your name somewhere."

Prompto gulped nervously "Maybe there was another blonde named Prompto?" he was begging the six for Noctis not to recognize him and remember who the blonde used to be.

Noctis' eyes grew wide "I do know you! You're Prompto! You were my friend in elementary school, you… you look… different."

Prompto blushed and looked at his feet, completely astonished to hear the prince call him his friend. "Yea, you do remember, huh?"

"What happened to you? I mean you look great but why the change?"

Prompto shrugged "Wasn't who I wanted to be, I guess. It wasn't easy though." He couldn't admit he lost his weight so he would have the confidence to speak to Noctis.

"I bet, you must have trained like my trainer trains me."

"You have a trainer? Dude, why?" Prompto was stunned. "You don't look like you need one!"

Noctis scoffed "He doesn't think so and he's more of a protector but he trains me too."

Prompto thought to himself about how anyone could find something wrong with the prince's body. Maybe he wasn't strong enough? That was probably it. He looked down at his watch as they were walking to check the time. It was almost time for class.

"Whoah! We got five minutes till class. You found your locker yet?"

Noctis shook his head "Not yet."

"I'll help you. What's the wall section and the number?"

Noctis handed him the paper with his locker and class schedule information on it "Hey, cool!"

Noctis looked over the blonde's shoulder as they walked "What's cool?"

"We got all our classes together oh, and your locker is next to mine." He grabbed Noctis' neck in the corner of his elbows and dramatically waved in front of them "It's fate!"

"Fate, fate for what?" Noctis broke free confused.

"Ah, it's a joke!" Prompto laughed before grabbing Noctis' arm "Come on!

"You're so dramatic." He couldn't help but let out a little smile. The Prompto he knew was so different now.

"Well, I am in the drama club and the photography club. Oh, and I'm trying out for the track team in Spring." He bounced a little in his happy walk. "You should join track or one of the clubs, you might meet a girl you like." He winked and elbowed the prince. "And your trainer slash protector guy keeps you in shape."

Noctis looked confused "Huh? I'm not really much of an actor and I hate physical activity."

Prompto put his arm around him again as they walked "Didn't hear a no about the photography club and I'm the president of it so, I take that as a yes."

"What?"

"Everyone, please take a seat." A burgundy haired woman with a loose bun and glasses spoke. "I would like to announce Prince Noctis as your fellow student." As she pointed to his direction with her ruler, the whispers started to begin again.

Prompto raised his hand and spoke "Uh, Mrs. Evergreen?" he sat in front of Noctis by the windows "He'd prefer it if you referred to him as Noctis Caelum and not add the whole princely title and stuff and uh, not bring him attention to the whole class."

"Was that back-talk Argentum?"

Prompto's face grew beet red "No, no! I was just saying!"

"Detention, and on the first day, very unlike you."

The class began to snicker and Noctis grew furious "He didn't even do anything!"

This was followed by the class going "Oooh."

Mrs. Evergreen walked over to Noctis' desk "I'll take Prompto's advice. Just because you're the prince doesn't mean you can shout at your teachers. You have detention as well." She began to walk away and stopped as the class was snickering and laughing. "Anyone else?" the class grew silent "Good. Now, we can get started."

Prompto turned around to look at Noctis and whisper "Hey, sorry I got you in trouble."

Noctis shook his head "It wasn't your fault. Now let's try not to get in any more trouble."

Prompto winked at the prince "Gotcha."

It was lunch time and Prompto had taken the opportunity to invite Noctis to sit with his group. It was one of the tables on the roof where they sat and was more private than the cafeteria so, Noctis enjoyed that fact. Prompto's group consisted of three of his other friends from Junior High or met over the summer. Auron was an athletic looking guy. He had tanned skin and seemed to be the one Prompto knew the longest. His hair was a dark brown and styled in a faux hawk style and almost reminded him of Ignis with a touch of Gladio. He had a Cup Noodle as his lunch. A petite girl sat next to him eating a salad. She had perfect curls and her hair was also a dark brown with subtle and scarce blonde highlights. Her name was Lena and Auron had introduced her to the group as Noctis took it. A platinum blonde with blade straight hair sat next to Prompto. She was showing him pictures she took over the summer while nibbling on some of Prompto's cream cheese bagel. Her name was Poppy and she was the one Prompto told Noctis he met at a photography camp over the summer. Noctis walked up to the group and placed his bento next to Prompto.

Prompto looked up from Poppy's pictures to Noctis "Oh, guys, see I told you Noctis was gonna hang with us!"

Poppy picked her camera up and snapped a picture of the unsuspecting prince "Whoah! Prince Noctis! I'll make sure you'll have your own spread in the yearbook!"

"Hey! No, Poppy, delete that!" Prompto scolded his blonde friend. "Sorry man, she's excitable and oh, did I mention we were all on the yearbook committee."

Lena spoke now. "Yea, you should join us! We could use the help, not many people are interested in working on it." She looked disappointed when she mentioned that fact.

Auron agreed with a nod, while eating his Cup Noodles.

"Yea! You could be in charge of the photography club page!" Prompto exclaimed.

Poppy nudged Prompto's side "Uh, I'm in charge of that page!"

"Oh, uh, well he can work with you, since he's in the photography club too now."

Poppy's eyes grew wide "Wha! Since when!?"

"Today Pop, it's not a big deal anyway, sharing the page with him. So, whadya say Noctis?" he looked at his new friend now.

"Umm…"

Prompto didn't even let him answer "Great! We meet at a café every other Sunday to discuss progress and ideas."

Poppy grabbed Prompto's hand "Don't forget, we have a drama meeting after school today."

Prompto sighed and threw his head back "Can't."

The platinum blonde looked sternly at the blonde next to her. "Why is that?"

"Got detention with this guy!" he threw his arm around Noctis as if he was proud of himself and his friend.

Poppy rolled "Ugh! What am I supposed to tell Director Con?"

"Just say I was sick or something, the old man loves me!"

Poppy rolled her eyes even more and continued to eat the bagel.

' _Hey, Ignis. Can you pick me up later than 3?'_

' _Why is that Noct?'_

' _Uh, busy.'_

' _With what? Don't lie.'_

' _I got into this club and they're meeting.'_

' _Noct. I got the phone call, I know you have detention. Your father is not happy about this on the first day.'_

' _Oh my god! I was standing up for a friend!'_

' _By disrespecting and yelling at your teacher.'_

' _You don't understand!'_

' _You will have time to explain at home Noct with the presence of your father. You should be one your way to detention now.'_

It was quiet and deathly boring. Mr. Burnston, the teacher to oversee detention, wasn't in the room but seemed to have eyes everywhere. Noctis had his head down on the desk, looking out of the window while Prompto was tearing up and raining torn pieces of paper into the prince's hair. He sat up and shook his head for the third time, adding more paper to the floor and collecting a giggle from the blonde. He smiled and laid his head back down while Prompto plucked the last few remaining pieces of paper out of the raven locks.

Noctis spoke through a muffled voice "Sorry, I'm the reason you got in trouble and have to be stuck in here."

Prompto looked shocked "Are you kidding!? You got me out of drama club!"

Noctis looked up "Thought you liked drama."

Prompto placed his laid his chin in his palms, resting his elbows on Noctis' desk "I do, but like, its nerve wrecking, everyone looking at you."

Noctis chuckled a bit "Tell me about it!"

Prompto jumped and grabbed Noctis' wrist "Hey! We should hang out this weekend, everyone else is gonna be busy."

"Uh. Sure."

The door slung open "No taking! Argentum! Over here!" the cranky old man pointed to a desk across from the room away from Noctis.

Prompto gathered his things and moved to his new seat. Mr. Burnston grabbed a newspaper from a drawer in his desk and began to read. He placed his feet on his desk relaxing like it was his home. The blonde pulled a piece of paper out of his bag and a pencil. He began writing.

Noctis continued to stare out of the window, seeing Ignis finally pull up. He thought it must be close to time for them to leave. He looked at the clock that read ten minutes left. He sighed and slammed his head back down.

Prompto looked at the old man who was now asleep with the newspaper on his face. He took the paper he wrote on and folded it into a paper airplane and threw it to Noctis.

Noctis felt something hit him in the back of his head and looked up. Prompto was waving and smiling. Noctis saw a paper airplane laying at his feet and he looked at Prompto confused. The blonde made opening motions with his hands and pointed at the paper airplane on the ground. Noctis bent over to grab the paper and began to open it and read it.

' _Hey, this old geezer is mean! Anyway, here's my number!_

 _2-412-82-7890'_

The number was circled with squiggly lines and he could tell the blonde got bored while waiting for the old man to fall asleep. He had many squiggles and doodles all over the paper. There was one doodle that stood out to Noctis. It was a dog. A dog carrying a book, with a design extremely similar to Luna's book she sent to Noctis from time to time so they could speak.

' _How?'_ he thought to himself. No one could mimic Umbra's pattern and the book so well without having seen both before.

Noctis pulled his phone out and put the number in his contacts as Prompto. He snapped a photo of the doodle of the dog and sent it to Prompto.

Prompto grabbed his phone after it buzzed. The number read private. He opened it and saw the picture. He looked at Noctis and smiled while blushing before sending a reply.

' _I'm good at photography, not art okay?'_

He named the private number as Noctis in his contacts and didn't bother with the Prince part. Just after he did that, another buzz.

' _The dog. Have you seen him before and the book?'_

Prompto thought it was weird Noctis brought it up and then remembered. The book and dog belonged to Lady Lunafreya. So, Noctis has probably seen them himself before and thought it was weird himself that Prompto had too. He then remembered how she had wanted Prompto to be Noctis' friend years ago, and still didn't understand why it was so important to her.

' _Uh, like once.'_

' _Weird. Hey, mind coming over to my place today? If your parents don't mind.'_

' _Sure, man. They won't care.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Prompto Argentum

Noctis opens the back door to Ignis' car and slid to the other side to let Prompto in next to him. His new friend placed his bag in the floor board and slipped into the sleek and expensive car. He thought to himself that the car he was now in must have cost a fortune but of course, that's nothing when you're royalty.

Ignis had watched Noctis enter the car in an odd fashion and had noticed the unknown passenger who was now in the car with the two men. He raised an eyebrow through the rearview mirror at the Prince. "Uh, Noct?"

Noctis had completely forgotten he didn't run anything by Ignis about Prompto coming over. "Oh, this is Prompto Argentum. I asked him to come over. That's alright, right?"

Ignis pushed his glasses back to comfort "Yes, I suppose it is, although, I would have liked to know this beforehand." The spectacled man scolded. "So, Mr. Argentum, do your parents know you will be coming with us for a bit?"

Prompto was frozen, everything that had happened today had finally registered with him. Him. Prompto Argentum. A nobody who barely even saw or knew his parents, was going to the Citadel. The Citadel, where the royal family, Prince Noctis, the beloved King Regis, where they lived with all their expensive furniture, and clothes, and servants. Not many people Prompto knew had servants, actually, Noctis was the only one he knew who did. He always planned on getting the courage to meet Noctis for Luna but he didn't expect it to happen like this or this fast. He had it all planned out. He was going to catch Noctis in distress and be a hero. How he planned the Prince to get caught up in something like he had planned, he did not know and knew it was farfetched of a goal.

"Ignis, call him Prompto and he said they didn't care." He heard Noctis answer for him after he escaped from his thoughts.

Ignis nodded "Very well then. You must not speak much Mr. Arge- Prompto I mean." He corrected himself.

"Oh, I'm just a little shy. Sorry." He bowed his head in an apologetic gesture and Noctis snickered next to him.

"Please, you do not have to apologize." Ignis sympathized. "It must be very strange and a very different atmosphere then what you are used to as I am just now meeting you and assuming you and then Prince have not been friends for long."

"It is." Prompto agreed.

Ignis put the car in gear and pulled out of the circle around where he had waited for Noctis to come out from detention and down the hill towards the Citadel. Noctis leaned his head against the window to look out as his advisor drove him home with his friend. He saw a small park overlooking the vast lake that was below. He then remembered the blonde he saw walking this morning. That blonde he saw had been Prompto.

He lifted his head up from the window to look at the blonde who was intent in playing King's Knight on his phone. "Hey, you play?" He asked his blonde friend.

Prompto looked up slightly startled "Oh, oh yea man!"

Noctis' face lit up and pulled his phone out to launch the app that has taken most of Lucis youth including Ignis and Gladiolus' attention by storm "Cool. What's your username?"

"Uh…" Prompto's face grew red "Don't make fun of me but I was like thirteen when I made it. Its Chocoboy2348."

Noctis' cheeks were growing red now but not because he was embarrassed but he was trying to contain his laughter when a snort escaped. "Gotcha." He looked back at his phone to type the name in. "I added you."

"Prince_of_Chocobos? That you?" Prompto raised an eyebrow at the name. "You like chocobos too?"

"Mhm." Noctis nodded and placed his phone beside him in the seat. "So, this morning I saw you walking to school."

"The bus doesn't come down my road since I'm close enough to the school for them to not send a bus route and too far away to leave last minute and well my parents go to work really early."

"How far do you live from the school?"

Prompto pointed out of his window. A road that went down further. "About a block."

Noctis' eyes widened he couldn't believe the blonde walked the distance every day. He hated walking up the steps to the Citadel every day. "Do you need rides? Ignis wouldn't mind giving you one."

The spectacled man looked up at the two from the rearview mirror at the mention of his name and nodded in response.

"Its fine. I don't want to be a free loader. Plus, I need to stay in shape."

"Tell you what." Ignis spoke up. "You tell Noct if you ever need a ride and if the weather is in climate to walk in, expect that we will provide you with a ride."

"Oh, wow! T- thanks! Really!"

Ignis nodded "Anything for a friend of his highness."

Friend. The Prince of Lucis' friend. All day Prompto had been battling people acting like this. He couldn't believe he was doing the same. But then he thought to himself that he wasn't being obnoxious like the others. He was only like this in his head which was working out for him. Him and Noctis had hit it off pretty well today.

He decided to give himself an inner pep talk to keep him calm _'Calm. Okay, calm. You acted like this when you got Lady Lunafreya's message. OMG, though it's the Prince! Okay, I'm okay.'_ Prompto practiced breathing exercises while he had an inner break down.

Noctis looked at his new friend concerned by his sudden change of expression "You alright?"

"O- oh, me?" Prompto stuttered "Yea man! I'm fine."

Ignis made the turn for the Citadel and stopped at the gates as they had to verify the identity of every car that entered through them. The Kingsglaive made a confused look when he looked at the blonde he had never saw before, which caused the blonde to turn bright red. The man who was a kingsglaive nodded to the one operating the gate and they slowly opened, after Ignis stated the blonde was with the Prince.

Ignis drove up the not too long but still lengthy enough paved driveway to the Citadel.

Prompto's eyes grew wide as they drove. He had always seen the Citadel from a distance. Who couldn't? He admired the artistic street lights that adorned the sidewalk to the very large and ominous, yet beautiful building. He thought he saw gold dawn parts of the building as an expensive decoration. He was completely amazed by the height of the building and was surprised it didn't reach into the crowds. He thought there must be at least 300 rooms inside the building by the size. What would someone need that many rooms for anyway? That thought quickly became unimportant as the car came to a stop and in front of them were a large set of stairs that had to be at least 20 or 30 feet or more.

Another glaive opened Prompto's door and he stepped out with Noctis sliding out behind him "Wow!" Prompto said in amazement, almost breathless.

"Well, Mr. Argentum, you'll be able to meet the King, since he requested Noctis to see him as soon as we arrived." Ignis spoke coming around the corner of the car to hand the glaive the keys to park the car in the royal garage. "What a lucky man, not many people get to see his highness in person anymore."

"Ha! Good one Iggy!" Noctis scoffed "He's gonna see me get my ear chewed off."

"Hey!" a voice from atop the stairs shouted at the men at the bottom of the stairs. "You guys comin'?" It was Gladio who always greeted the two men if he had not joined them.

The three men began to walk up the stairs. Prompto was hesitant at first but slowly followed. He didn't know whether to be formal, be himself, he didn't really know how to act at all in this situation really. Never did Prompto ever imagine he would actually be on the steps to the Citadel, even with Luna having told him Noctis needed a friend. He still doesn't know or understand why the Prince, the most popular guy in Insomnia needed a friend and was even more puzzled at the fact Luna picked him. She could have picked anyone else but she picked Prompto Argentum and well Prompto guessed you shouldn't question the Oracle.

Noctis slowed his stride up the steps to bump Prompto "Hey, don't start acting weird now. That's Gladio by the way, he's like my body guard." He pointed at the muscular man who was now greeting Ignis with a friendly hug.

"Dude, he's huge!" Prompto whispered loudly in shock.

Gladio looked the scrawny blonde in front of him up and down as if he could instantly see something that said Prompto was bad news or not. "Who's this?"

"That's Prompto. Stop scaring him." Noctis scowled at the larger and slightly older man.

Gladio chuckled "Nice to meet you Prompto! You should let me work you out sometime." He winked flirtatiously at the blonde who looked completely horrified.

Noctis rolled his eyes "He's just messing with you. He means he wants to get you to train some. Like I said I do."

Prompto let out a sigh of relief.

"What else would I have meant?" Gladio said as he grabbed Prompto's arm. "It's good to protect yourself these days you know."

Prompto nodded as the muscular man let go to walk away with Ignis. Noctis motioned for Prompto to follow him inside the Citadel's large decorative doors that were already opening for the two.

Prompto was in awe. It had to be the most elaborate foyer he has ever seen in his life. The walls were a shade of grey with silver lining and the floors were a grey and white marble with black marble diamonds. There was a reception desk in the left corner and Prompto thought that must be for dignitary visitors and such. The two walked down a hall to the main elevators.

' _A freaking elevator!? Jeez, they're loaded, well they are royalty Prompto.'_ The blonde thought to himself before they stepped into the elevator.

Noctis leaned against a black padded wall "By the way, my dad isn't normally as mean as you're about to see him. I'm pretty sure he's pissed at me right now for not 'conducting myself as a Prince'." He mocked an Ignis styled impression.

"It's kinda my fault though, like he should be mad at me. I was the first one to say something."

"No." Noctis shook his head. "It's really my fault, so I'll take the blame."

Prompto looked worried and started to doubt everything he was doing "Should I even be here? I mean I am just a pleb so…" He looked down at his feet.

Noctis shifted and scoffed "Dude, I invited you! My friend doesn't need appointments to see me."

' _Friend.'_ That word coming from the usually distant prince's mouth was a shock to Prompto and it stayed in his mind, hitting him that he really is accomplishing what Luna asked. Now, all he wondered was about the saving part and when that would come in.

The elevator dinged, letting the two know they arrived on their chosen floor. They both stepped out and the room split into three different hallways almost uniform to the one they first entered. Noctis led Prompto down the hallway that was straight ahead of them. Prompto began to be even more amazed as they walked down the hallway. There were large portraits of past Lucis Kings, Queens, and their crowned heirs. On the right of the walls were the coronation day for the princes and princesses of Lucis with the parents standing behind them. One portrait stood out to Prompto. There were two siblings. The one in the robes and crown had slightly longer hair than Noctis' and was the one to sit on the throne. There was the younger sibling standing next to the crowned prince. He lay his hand on the older sibling's shoulder. His face was what had caught Prompto's attention, instead of looking calm like the others in the portrait, he looked tense His face was pursed and his other had was balled up into a fist.

Noctis stopped walking and turned around to notice Prompto was staring at a portrait "Hey." He said as he walked back over to his friend. "Oh, that's, uh, Prince Izaiya, Izuya, no, umm, Izunia. Yea that's it I think. Don't remember anyone else's name in it though, only because he was the first and only Lucis Prince to be assassinated." He blushed. "I'm still kinda learning but you almost have to remember something like that."

"You have to learn about all of these people?" Prompto gestured to all the portraits around them.

Noctis simply nodded.

"Wow, and I never would have known someone from the royal family was assassinated. Kinda scary when you think about it." Prompto followed, after they began walking again.

"They didn't want it plastered in history books since it was an inside job and not terrorism and ever since then, security has been unbearingly protective."

"Better safe than sorry though."

"Noctis Lucis Caelum! My son! The Prince of Lucis to his people!" King Regis shouts up from his throne and closing his conversation with Cor. "What were you thinking!?"

"I know, not prince like, I won't do it again. Okay?" Noctis spoke with a nonchalant attitude.

Prompto stood frozen and straight, not knowing what to do in the presence of the King. He also had to admit he was slightly terrified at seeing the King so heated.

Regis rubbed his temples at his son "Please do be more careful. I cannot have my son acting like an entitled brat towards his people. I'm sorry but there was no nice way to put your attitude." The king looked up and noticed Prompto and his stiffness. "Please, boy do not be so stiff. A friend of my son is a dear friend to us all. I do apologize for you having to have witnessed this conversation with me and my son."

Prompto relaxed slightly but also felt weird to hear the King apologize to him.

"His name is Prompto, dad."

Prompto realized after standing there that he had been being rude and hadn't properly introduced himself. "O- oh! I'm Prompto Argentum sir! I- I mean your highness!" he bowed and cursed himself under his breath.

"Please, please, no need for such a formal introduction." Regis gestured for Prompto to lift his head back up. "Say, will you be joining us for dinner? It would be a pleasure for you to join and I would love to get to know you more then but I am terribly busy at the moment."

"I, uh." Prompto hadn't expected to be invited to dinner by the King himself.

"He'll be there dad, but we have, uh homework!" Noctis grabbed Prompto's wrist and led him to his wing of the Citadel.

As they were moving quickly through the halls Prompto asked "We had homework? And uh thanks for you and your dad inviting me to dinner."

"The homework was a stall. I just didn't want you to have a heart attack." Noctis giggled some.

"Hey! I wasn't that nervous!"

"Sure." Noctis said leading them to his wing.

They had gone into Noctis' own personal entertainment room where the prince would watch TV or play video games. Noctis had left to change into more comfortable clothes then his uniform. Prompto looked through the photos on his camera from the other day while he waited.

Noctis came back in wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. He plopped down next to Prompto and noticed a picture of a sunset the blonde had taken. A tree with no leaves was on the side. It was the tree that never blooms. Noctis never found it interesting or different from other trees but the way Prompto could work filters had left the prince in awe. The sun was in the middle, surrounded by clouds and let just the right amount of light to shine through.

"Hey, that's really good. You really know how to take pics." He spoke up about the photo.

Prompto blushed "You think so?"

Noctis nodded.

Prompto placed his camera down next to him and faced Noctis. "So, uh, I got the feeling earlier when you invited me over that you planned on talking to me about something that seemed kind of important. So, what's up?"

Noctis took a deep breath. It's not everyday someone shows up in your life and has seen Umbra before. Also, he was slightly worried about Luna and why she would contact and stranger and not him. Noctis was almost sure no one has ever seen the traveling dog before either. He had no way of knowing how he would go about this.

"Ok, so this might sound really weird."

"Dude, I'm sitting here with you, the prince, who I've just met today and I'm a nobody who somehow made you like me enough to be my friend. It's been more than weird."

"Thought you didn't care that I was a prince." Noctis joked sarcastically.

Prompto felt stupid for what he said "No, I- I don't man, it's just, it's hard to explain. This is all a shock kinda."

Noctis chuckled at how the blonde took what he had said so seriously. "I get it, I was just kidding but uh, that drawing on your note in detention."

Prompto lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "You already asked me about it bro."

Noctis took another deep breath "I know, but when did you see the dog?"

Prompto became even more confused "About 2 years ago, probably. Dude, why is this so important?"

"And the book, did it happen to have anything written in it from Lady Lunafreya?"

Prompto was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable now. Why did any of this matter to Noctis besides the fact the dog was in fact, in relation to Lady Lunafreya? Was he not supposed to help the other dog, Pryna, that caused Luna to send Umbra for some reason. He couldn't have left the dog to die and he would've never had the motivation to talk to Noctis. Prompto then thought none of that could be relevant. The only part that was relevant was what the letter said and Prompto had remembered it:

 _'Dearest Prompto,_

 _I do sincerely appreciate that you have helped nurse my dear Pryna back to health. She appreciates it as well and I hope you are doing well yourself. Maybe one day when I visit Prince Noctis again, we can thank you in person but this will have to do, for now. Speaking of the Prince. You two know each other and must be friends, right? Please, do me another favor, even though you owe me, a stranger, no such favors. But, please, if I was wrong and the two of you are not as close as I thought, get him to open up to you, be the friend he is in need of. I fear he has isolated himself and it will only hurt him. So, please, be a hero and save your prince in distress dear Prompto. Show him the light so he does not succumb to the darkness that is coming. Please. I await to hear your response and see both you and Noctis someday._

 _Until we meet, Lady Lunafreya.'_

Prompto couldn't quite say to Noctis _'Hey, one of your best friends thinks you are going to be evil and I gotta save you somehow.'_

Noctis put a hand on the thinking blonde's shoulder gently shaking him. "Prompto?"

Prompto had drifted into thought without realizing it. "Oh, sorry man. Yea, Lady Luna, she uh, her dog… Pryna?"

Noctis just nodded as he listened to the blonde.

"Mainly, she thanked me for helping her. The dog had gotten hurt somehow." It wasn't a complete lie, he thought.

"Oh, that's it?" Noctis asked a little concerned.

"Yea, what else would she have said after I saved her dog."

Noctis sat back and shrugged "I haven't talked to her in a little over two years."

Prompto thought about, if Luna had worried about Noctis so much, then why didn't she talk to him herself.

"What!? Why? She talked like you two were close."

"She had to stop contacting me unless it was important. Tensions are high in Niflheim." He began to looked even more worried at the mention of the issue.

Prompto felt insensitive for asking "Oh, hey man, I'm sorry."

Noctis shrugged "It's just good to know she's okay. She's like a sister t me but hey, wanna play some video games?"

"Do I ever!" Prompto agreed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Dinner Most Exquisite

The two boys had been playing video games for an hour. The game they were playing was Final Fantasy X until Noctis' turn, he got stuck fighting a guy called Seymour. Prompto had called it on Seymour being the bad guy and when they finally found out, he jumped up and down, excited that he was right. Noctis on the other hand had just thought the purple haired man was just really weird and not necessarily the bad guy. Neither of the two could figure out how to get past Seymour and his guards when they got to the battle with Seymour. So, both of them sat on the floor shoulder to shoulder against Noctis' sectional sofa and stared at the third game over screen during this battle.

"I give up." Noctis slammed his head against the sofa.

"That's not very fitting for a prince to say." Prompto joked.

"I think I can give up on a video game." Noctis snapped jokingly.

Prompto faced Noctis "But what if next time It's a war and it's too hard and after a couple of bumps in the road, you give up!" Prompto flailed his arms around dramatically.

"Dude, I would not give up if that ever happens, which it won't."

Prompto laughed at his own dramatics "But about the game, maybe we should use Lulu and Yuna would totally help us out against Seymour's elemental spells?"

"That could be it."

They both looked at the door when they heard a knock and saw Ignis standing in the doorway.

"I do hate to intrude on your "homework" your highness but dinner is done and I will be taking you home after Prompto so you are not out to late on a school night."

"Ok, Iggy. We'll be down in a sec." Noctis got up and walked over to turn off his game system.

"Very well then and I assume you want me to tell your father you were studying and not playing video games."

"Whoah! Iggy not asking you to lie or anything but that'd be cool." Noctis joked, being slightly dramatic as he learned from Prompto already.

"Just this once." Ignis winked and walked back down the hall.

"So, Prompto, I am afraid I was unable to get to know you earlier." Regis spoke after everyone was settled in at the table. "Why don't you tell me about yourself some?"

Prompto's face grew slightly red "Y- yes, your highness."

Regis interrupted before the blonde could speak more. "Please, you can call me Regis my dear boy."

Prompto's face grew a shade redder "Yes sir." The blonde paused for a moment "There's not a whole lot to say really. I live with my parents of course and I was adopted, so, I don't really know my real parents. They say it's better that I don't. They're really nice and everything, my adoptive parents but are just really busy with their job. So, they're not home as much as I'd like them to be."

"Hmm. I see. What do they do?" the king asked, genuinely interested in Prompto's parents as he knows how hard it is to hardly get to see your son.

"They're hunters." Prompto said bluntly with his head down.

Gladio was standing in his usual spot at the door with Ignis next to him. He was interested in hearing about the scrawny blonde's parent's occupation.

Noctis was shocked at what he heard "You mean like the ones that are outside of Lucis? The marshal Cor told me about them one time. Said they risk their lives to fight daemons to save others outside of the wall."

Prompto nodded "Yep, that's the one?"

Noctis looked even more shocked now "But why? They're safe from daemons in Lucis. They could have any other job they wanted."

"Noctis, respect." Regis sternly said to his son.

"Yea, but they just, they said its, please King Regis, don't take offense to this. They said it's not right that other people outside the wall are not protected. So, they feel like they have to protect them. I actually think that's how they found me once when I was young and all alone." Prompto's head fell slightly.

Regis noticed the blonde was in disarray "Please, know I don't take offense by your parent's decision, I think it is very brave and wonderful what they are doing. I can agree that it is not right others have to suffer outside the wall but the crystal does not allow further protection sadly."

Prompto's face lit up "I'll tell them you said that."

Regis chuckled "Well then, shall we eat?"

"I'm starved!" Noctis did not take long to begin devouring Ignis' food he had prepared them.

Prompto took a bite of what looked like some pasta next to his chicken wrapped in cheese and tomato sauce. When he bit into his food it melted on his taste pallet and he felt like he was drifting into a peaceful world full of bliss. He doesn't think he has ever tasted anything as good as what he was eating right now.

"This is amazing! Wow, compliments to the chef, definitely!" Prompto spoke after his first bite.

"Thank you." Ignis spoke lightly from where he was standing next to Gladiolus.

Hearing Ignis' voice left Prompto in shock. He would never have known he was the one who cooked the delicious meal. He didn't look like a cook at all to him.

The ride home was mostly quiet for Ignis and Prompto. Noctis had to stay at the Citadel to train and get ready for the next school day. Prompto sat in the back playing King's Knight. Ignis had asked before they left for the blonde's address so he could put it in the GPS.

The car was almost at Prompto's road when the brunette decided to finally speak up "So, Prompto, it seems Noctis is already quite comfortable with you, almost as if he's know you longer."

The blonde looked up and nodded.

"It's rare to see the prince actually interact with others outside of the Citadel, especially as well as he does with you. He's not good around others. he's been through a lot. When he was younger, he lost his mother, not long after, he was attacked by a daemon and in his healing process something clicked in him where he could no longer handle the classroom environment or any public environment for that matter. I feel something more happened that day, though he won't speak of it. Perhaps you could be the friend he has needed for quite some time and he will open up to you on this subject one day."

Prompto was shocked and he couldn't help but feel bad for Noctis. He never realized the daemon attack had been so close to the death of the prince's mother. He remembered how he saw Noctis crying one day instead of playing and wanted to comfort him but was too nervous. Maybe if he did, Noctis would have never shut himself off the way he did for so long and at such a young age. Perhaps it was too late for Prompto to play hero. Perhaps Luna had meant for Prompto to be with Noctis during the toughest time of his life.

The blonde held a tear back as he spoke after remembering Luna's letter "I- I've been told that before and I've promised that, that I'm going to protect him."

Ignis chuckled "Well, Gladio has that job but, if you really want to protect him he would have to ask you to be sworn into his Crownsguard. Which, I could see happening one day, if you worked out more but be warned, it is a lifetime commitment and you both have time before that decision needs to be made."

Prompto gave Ignis a slight confused look "What's a Crownsguard?"

"We protect the prince with our lives and help steer him in a clear direction so he can rule fairly and long. The day after his coronation day, there is a ceremony, where the new king and his chosen Crownsguard become bound by the power of the crystal."

"Wow. So, there's, not, like a blood ritual or something, right?"

Ignis looked horrified "No, nothing like that! When the prince has chosen a new member to be in his Crownsguard for the crystal to bound on his coronation day, that member and the prince usually gets bound in another way that is much more special."

"Ha! Igs man you make it sound like we have to have sex with the royal prince!"

Ignis' eyes became wide in shock "That is not what I meant at all! Goodness!"

Prompto laughed "Okay, okay. So, you get bound twice?"

"Yes. Emotionally and physically. Which is done by the crystal about the physical part, so get your head out of the gutter!" Ignis couldn't help but chuckle himself "For example, Noctis and Gladiolus have been bonded emotionally and await to be bound by the crystal again in three years. They were bound the day Prince Noctis saved Gladio's younger sister Iris."

Prompto was intent on listening in on Ignis' informational story "What about you and Noctis? Have you guys been bound yet?"

Ignis sighed "We have yet to be bound but it will happen in time."

"Oh." Prompto nodded and thought about how all this information he was learning was all so intriguing.

"But before you decide you want to dedicate your life at such a young age to someone you hardly know, you should think about it." Ignis paused "Say, you mentioned that you promised to someone you would protect Noctis. May I ask who or if it was anyone in particular? Surely you do not randomly say at such a young age you vow to protect your prince rather then get yourself a girl."

Prompto gulped "I don't want Noctis to know, it might make him feel weird or something. But I can trust you, right Ignis?"

Ignis nodded "Of course. I swear, I shall not speak a word."

Prompto leaned closer into the middle as if he was making sure no one would hear his secret. He told Ignis the entire story about saving Pryna and Lady Luna's letter asking him to protect Noctis from his doom.

"I see. It seems like her to say something of the sort, she has always been concerned for his highness and his family's wellbeing." Ignis arrived at Prompto's home but continued to speak after he had parked. "But you did mention she told you to be a hero and save him from darkness. I am curious myself to know what this could mean from the young Oracle."

"I am too! That's why I said I was going to protect him for her, even if I have to become this Crownsguard thing. I can't let her down!"

Ignis chuckled a bit at the blonde's determination as he saw a slight hint of himself in the blonde from when he was younger "That is very noble of you indeed Prompto. I will certainly try to look into this and try to understand it better for you and for the future. Do try and get some sleep."

Prompto was halfway out of the car as he thanked Ignis for the ride and waved him goodbye.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 The Brand

Prompto awoke in the middle of the night to a sharp and burning pain. As he sat up, he noticed his face was pouring with sweat.

"Why is it so hot? Why am I in so much pain!?" he said aloud to himself while rubbing his tired eyes and wiping his sweat from his forehead.

When it was clear he was going to be awake for a while due to his pain, he decided to finally get up. He decided that if he feels this way for too much longer or even when he wakes up that he would have to miss school. Prompto hardly misses school now unlike his past when he was considered an outcast. He left his bedroom to go into the kitchen and grab a glass cup he then filled with water. As he took a sip, he looked out of the kitchen window and noticed his parent's car was still gone.

"Must be a long job this time…" Prompto said disheartedly.

He knew his parents were doing the best they could so he could have the life he has now and the hunters were paid exceptionally well. In Insomnia, you usually had to be paid well to live there since homes were limited and it was the only place completely safe from daemons. Prompto loved spending time with his parents though. The time they spent has become fewer and fewer over the years due to more daemon activity and a small tear escaped. He remembered he had tried to talk his parents into letting him go with them on a small hunt during the summer. He promised to stay at a distance and take pictures to sell to a wildlife magazine and get his photos out there. They told him it was too dangerous and they never wanted him to go outside of the wall for any reason. So, he gave up his nature and wildlife photography dream.

Prompto snapped out of his daydream and walked out of the kitchen to sit on the couch in the living room. He placed his cup of water on one of his mother's coasters and picked up the remote to watch some TV and hopefully get his mind off of the pain. The only thing that was on was a channel that played throwback cartoons at night or the channels that always try to sale weird items at night. So, Prompto settled with watching _Hey, Arnold!_ , a show he didn't mind watching himself.

Prompto began to feel the same burning he felt earlier when he woke up. He decided to just ignore it at first but it progressively got stronger. It had gotten so intense he began to sweat profusely again and his entire left arm felt like it was in flames.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Prompto yelped in pain "What is wrong with me!?"

He rushed back into the kitchen to the sink and began to rinse his burning arm with cool water. As he was rinsing his arm, he noticed something under his wristband that was never there before.

"What the?" he took his arm out from under the water and took his wristband off, revealing the mysterious mark and the Niff barcode he usually hides.

There was a faded black mark next to his code. The mark resembled a moving snake or possibly an s. He had no idea what was happening to him and wondered if the MT inside him was finally awakening.

' _What, is this some new Niff thing?'_ he cursed himself in his thought.

The burning that the mark seemed to have caused on his arm had finally ceased and felt completely normal now. He was no longer sweating and began to feel slightly better.

' _I should still be well enough to go to school tomorrow. I don't feel sick or anything and the pain is gone, so that's a good thing. I just would like to know what the hell all of this was tonight!'_ he thought to himself as he went to turn the TV off and return to bed.

"My son, my star, my light, and my life. It makes me a proud father today, to be able to gather my people in celebration of their new king. I bestow upon you, Noctis Lucis Caelum, my ring. With the Ring of Lucii, as a Caelum, you will be guided by the crystal and ancient kings to protect this wonderful country once more." Regis removes the ring he speaks of from his finger and places it in the palm of his own hand.

Noctis kneeled before his father and bowed. As he did, he held his hand out for his father to place the ring on his finger. As the king placed the ring on his son's finger, Noctis noticed Prompto who was standing next to a purple haired man. Noctis began to feel a burning sensation in his left arm and as he looked up, he saw the audience gasp with horrified looks on their faces. Even his father stepped back in fear. Noctis noticed the purple haired man with a smirk on his face along with Prompto's face as well. The king-to-be eyes were glowing blood red and his arm was beginning to smoke and burn more. He winced in agony.

The purple haired man and Prompto walked up behind Regis "Tsk. Tsk. What a shame." He faced the people when he was in front of the two men. "Your new king is not worthy! Oh, he shall burn!" he looked back to Regis. "And why, it was his own doing!" He pointed to the king and then faced the people again. "Your prince! He has been tainted by an evil, but I, oh how I have waited for this moment! For cruel Lucis Caelum blood line to end! Oh, the secrets they have kept from you all but I can save you, with this here young man!" The crowd cheered for the mysterious man and his friend who were bowing.

Regis could not look at his son who was pleading with his eyes for his father to help him. His arms become aflame "I have failed..." Regis withdrew his sword and pointed it to Noctis' chest. "You are not worthy."

Noctis' arms have begun to be engulfed in flames and he feels excruciating pain. He ignored it all and continued pleading into his father's eyes for forgiveness, they have become so cold and distant.

"I pray you walk tall, my son and I hope you may one day forgive me." Regis' cold gaze falters a bit and Prompto joins him.

"He deserves no prayer, he has done this to himself." Prompto grabs the king's hand to force the blade into Noctis' chest.

Noctis gasps for air, clutching his chest as he was sweating profusely. His chest was still in incredible pain, even out of his dream, though his arm no longer felt as if it was on fire.

' _Not again, don't tell me they're back!'_ he thought to himself as he ran to his bathroom after he jumped off his bed.

He motioned his hand and the lights in the bathroom switched on for him. He removed his black t-shirt just in time to see another mark beginning to glow as if someone had branded him with a flaming iron. Was it going to be another letter like the black P that formed on his chest years ago, he thought. He didn't know if he should wake Ignis this late by calling him. He was in fact, the only person who knew this has happened to Noctis.

It glew once more and Noctis grabbed his chest to wince in pain again. He knew he had to stop the pain and the only thing he knew he could do was to wet a towel with cold water to place it on the pain.

' _Why this? Why… that… dream?'_ he slouched against the wall to sit on the floor with the cold towel still to his chest. _'What does it all mean? My dad, that guy, and… and… Prompto.'_ He remembered his new friend and the weird purple haired man in his dream and shivered at the thought. _'He'd never do anything like that, he's too innocent of a guy. It was just a dream…'_ He remembered the moment his father's sword struck through his chest killing him.

He leaned his head against the cool tile wall and let a tear streak his cheek. _'This is how it started, the nightmares, back when I was a kid.'_ He had a couple of intense and strange nightmares when he was younger, before he became completely homeschooled and had to take place in weekly therapy.

The nightmares started out of nowhere and no one could figure out why they had started. Not long after, his mother became ill. Regis tried everything he possibly could to save her. He was terrified of raising a child on his own and knew that Noctis needed his mother. He even hired the best doctor from Altissia but it all wasn't enough. She passed just four days after an experimental surgery and was deemed healthy again.

Not long after his mother's death, he was attacked by a large serpent like daemon. If Noctis' father had not arrived when he did with his glaives, the young prince would have died. The nightmares got worse and more frequent and usually always led to his demise, usually at the hand of his own father.

When he was well enough from the attack to return to school, it was traumatic. The students would all rampage him with questions and some, their false sympathy. All the attention, at his age and his trauma, he couldn't handle in addition to the nightmares. He begun to close himself off and even speak less to his blonde friend who was Prompto.

Among the trauma he experienced, the Six wasn't done with him. Noctis woke up one day from a nap he took after one of Ignis' boring Cosmogony lessons. He woke up screeching in pain and terrifying the teenage Ignis at the time. After the older man was able to calm the young price, they searched for the culprit of his pain. That was the beginning of the random and painful marks on his chest. He remembered Ignis telling him the mark was a later lesson in Cosmogony for when he was older and Noctis wondered if he was old enough now. He thought that it couldn't be like the story of the birds and the bees and even if it was, it wasn't hard for someone to find that out on their own these days.

' _I really wonder what these stupid marks mean.'_ He removed the towel from over his chest to notice the mark had formed another letter. It was an R. He became even more curious of what this meant.

The pain had finally subsided and Noctis was relieved as he sighed. He stood up from where he sat to finally return to bed. He walked out of his bathroom, light automatically turning itself off. He drug his feet across the floor in exhaustion and finally reached his bed to climb back in and go back to sleep for a few hours.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Strange Phenomenon

"Noctis, please, I have been calling your name for 10 minutes now, get up!" Ignis says in a frustrated tone while laying out Noctis' uniform.

Noctis mumbles and rolls back onto his stomach, pulling his comforter over his head.

"Ow!" he yelps, sitting straight up and remembering the mark from last night.

Ignis raises am eyebrow at the prince "Is everything alright your highness? Was the air conditioning in here broke?" he asked when he noticed the prince clearly lacked a shirt.

"I'm fine!" Noctis hisses as he walks over to his uniform that Ignis had neatly laid out for him.

Ignis was going to persist on what was wrong but he quickly noticed the new mark upon his abdomen, clearly still sensitive. "It happened again?"

"What?"

Ignis nodded to Noctis' abdomen.

Noctis gave a confused look and then he finally registered what the older man was on about. "Oh, uh, yea. Can you tell me what it means?"

The spectacled man walked over to Noctis' book shelf and skimmed for the one he was looking for. It was a cosmogony book, it explained strange phenomena's such as the one Noctis had been experiencing throughout his life. The cover of the book had a woman with long black hair and a man with unruly purplish hair. They were on the covers of most of the cosmogony books Ignis has taught Noctis with. He himself never understood what relation the two had to the six.

Noctis rolled his eyes and groaned "Come on Specs. Really? You can't just tell me yourself what this crap means or hey, maybe ya know, get me a doctor?"

"You can read it over the course of the day and maybe this weekend too. I doubt you will read it all anyway and you don't have to honestly. It's not as, uh as you say, boring as most of them and if you want to know the answer to this," Ignis gestured to the marks on Noctis' abdomen. "I'll help you understand it better if needed when you get home but it is pretty straight forward, even you should understand."

"Excuse me? You know what, never mind. Fine." Noctis huffed and shoved the book into his bag.

Noctis dresses himself, brushes his teeth and hair, and continues the rest of his morning routine. He saves the tie for last as he looks at it slightly confused again but he proceeded to copy Ignis' technique. He didn't want to be scolded for forgetting or mocked by Gladio again and as he looked in his mirror it looked to be tied correctly. After he was completely done getting dressed, he only had enough time to eat toast for breakfast, so Ignis made sure he had a heavier lunch for the day.

"Have a good day Noct and please, do try to behave today!" Ignis yelled over Gladio to the Prince who was waving at the two men.

Ignis drove off in silence for most of the ride and Gladio was confused and slightly worried. "Everything okay Iggy?" Gladio asked assuringly while he lay a hand to rest on the driver's shoulder.

"I'm just concerned, that is all." He spoke not taking his eyes off of the road but certainly phased by the comforting touch of the muscular man.

"About what?"

Ignis sighed.

He knows what the marks that have been appearing on Noctis' abdomen and he knows whose name will appear now, even if they are only two letters. He knows the prince only knows one person with the letters 'P' and 'R' in their name and in that order who qualifies for the circumstances. The prince hardly knows anyone outside of the Citadel and he certainly knows no one in the Citadel have those two letters in their name. He wants to tell Noctis to make it easier on him but he's not sure if it even will.

Gladio waved a hand next to Ignis' face "Iggy, I'm losing you here!"

Ignis jumps slightly as he comes back to but his driving still does not falter. "Oh, sorry. It's just, its Noctis."

"Noctis? Iggy, you know King Regis doesn't want you keeping secrets from him about Noctis. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing serious really, he's fine. His highness doesn't need to be bothered but it involves Prompto I believe."

"Prompto?" Gladiolus looked confused "The kid seems like a good kid or did you find something in a background check?"

Ignis shook his head "Not that. I'm sure he is all clear in that manner."

Gladio looked even more confused "Then what? Spill it."

Ignis took the glove he always wears off of his hand and held the side that had the marks along his thumb and down to his wrist so the other man could see. The marks spelled Gladio, leaving out the -lus. Ignis was never sure if the name would completely spell out but the two men had already figured out that they were soulmates years ago, though they prefer to keep it private.

Gladio was completely thrown for a loop. What did Ignis' brand have to do with Noctis and Prompto? Then, it hit him. "Wait, you can't be serious?"

Ignis nodded "Afraid so. Who else does our prince know with a name that begins with the two exact beginning letters of Prompto's. You know how this works, it's inevitable. I just have no idea how people will react."

"Are you sure?"

"It happened the same day he brought Prompto over. You even saw how they got along so well. Something very rare for Noct to achieve these days, what with his anxiety."

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself Iggy. It's just two letters. What if a name is spelled backwards? It happens you know."

"Perhaps I am but I highly doubt Noct has encountered anyone else." Ignis said as they arrived at the Citadel.

"Okay class, lets pick our lab partners." Mrs. Long, the chemistry teacher announced.

Prompto looked straight at Noctis as he walked over. They were in their third period. "Just so you know, I'm great with chemistry. So, you're a lucky guy!"

Noctis smirked "Oh, am I?"

"Uh, yea dude! I got mad chemistry skills!" Prompto sprinkled glitter into Noctis' hair.

"Dude! Why do you even have glitter?" Noctis said trying to shake the glittery substance out of his hair with his hands.

"Oh, I thought we could make the project shine. Get it?"

Noctis shook his head while trying to hold a laugh "You're so lame, I should make you get this crap out of my hair."

"Hey Noct!" a tall muscular jock with nice hair. With his attitude, he obviously was going to be trouble. "So, the rumors are true?"

"What?" he looked confused.

The jock pointed to Noctis' glittery hair "Ha, that you're gay dude! If you can't make an heir, Niflheim might as well take us over right?"

Noctis heard the jock's friends behind him laughing at the unfunny thing he had said.

"Dude, that's so not funny." Prompto spoke up.

"Oh, what's the matter Argentum? Embarrassed of your new boyfriend? You could do better anyway!"

Prompto gets in the jocks face "You're just jealous I'm hanging out with another guy after I dumped you!"

The taller man is speechless and his friends who were laughing with him were now laughing at him. "Y- you're gonna pay Argentum!" he stomps away to leave the classroom without saying a word.

Noctis' face was red with anger towards the jock but he had to keep his cool. He could not afford getting in trouble again or his father would take him out of school.

Prompto put his glittery hand on his friend's shoulder "Don't worry, that's his go to insult. He thinks it's funny but really, he's just being a jerk as usual."

"Thanks man, for you know, sticking up for me."

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

Noctis just smiled. Then he grew curious. "So, that guy, you said he was your ex."

Prompto began to sweat a little "Yea."

"So, that means your gay?" Noctis asked making Prompto extremely anxious. He hoped this wouldn't ruin their friendship. Noctis must have noticed Prompto's change in attitude. "Not that I have a problem with that. You're still awesome man."

Prompto relaxed a little bit "I'm not gay though. I'm bi. I've dated girls too." Prompto sighed. "I just hate that I'm bringing the wrong attention to you."

Noctis shook his head. "It's cool. I don't really see myself trying to date anyone here anyway. Knowing Ignis, he'll find a way to say its unprincely."

Prompto chuckled "Ignis the infamous cock blocker!"

Prompto was busy scanning books for Mrs. Lestal, the librarian. So Noctis decided to take the opportunity and read over the cosmogony book Ignis gave him earlier in the morning, though he rarely voluntarily reads. This was a particularly intriguing subject he thought, if it had answers to the mystery he has been longing to solve. He already skimmed the first few pages on the ride to school.

' _Every child of Eos has a soulmate meant just for them.'_ Noctis remembered reading on the first page.

"That's so weird." Noctis mumbled while chewing on his thumbnail.

"Dude, that's a horrible habit!" Prompto startles Noctis with a slap on the shoulder. "Whatcha reading anyway?" he reads the word "soulmate" and gives Noctis a look. "Okay, seriously? You? Romance?"

Noctis' eyes widened. He had no interest in the mushy romance genre and couldn't understand why people bothered to voluntarily read them on their own time for entertainment, like Gladio.

"What? No way!" he said loudly "It's this stupid book I have to read about soulmates, and brands, and other weird religious shit like that."

Prompto sits in the chair next to Noctis. "Wait, did you say brand?"

Noctis raised an eyebrow at his friend "Uh, yea. What about it?"

The blonde leaned in closer to whisper "Weird shit has been happening bro and I think it's really similar to branding."

"What? Really?" he was surprised his friend experienced the same thing.

"Yea and I have no idea what it means."

"Well according to this," he begins reading a line from the book. "The more you come in contact with your soulmate chosen by the Six, the more letters of their name you will receive on your body. The body parts the marks appear on always vary, some have reported to be on arms, legs, necks, and other places on the body as well. Note, this is an extremely painful process, hence how it got its name, branding."

Prompto just stared dumbfounded at the information he had just learned "B-but why's it gotta be painful. I mean this crap hurts!"

"Tell me about it." Noctis agrees while skimming for any information on Prompto's question. "It says here 'the brands are similar to the love between Ifrit and Eos. True love will burn bright.'"

"What the heck does that mean?"

"I dunno, that's really all it gives me on that."

The two men sit in silence. Prompto wondering who the Gods themselves could've honestly paired a loser like him with. Noctis sat there wondering and slightly angry at why Ignis had decided to keep this from him for so long.

Prompto looked at his friend who looked like he might crack if he read anymore.

"I'll just take that for now!" he snatches the book from the table and places it in his bag.

"Dude, give it!"

"No comprende man. That book is stressing you out." He looked at Noctis' tie and giggled.

"Huh? What's so funny?"

Prompto pointed at Noctis.

"What the hell?" he playfully jabbed the blonde in his side,

"Your tie is tied wrong." He moved in closer. "Here, let me fix it."

Noctis began to turn as red as a Lucian tomato "Dammit! I thought I had it right this time."

"My, my, our very own prince doesn't know how to tie his own tie." Prompto giggled and let a very brief moment pass where him and Noctis locked eyes.

He almost got lost in them. They were the purest crystal blue he had ever seen. They were perfect. He shook his head as he finally finished tying Noctis' tie.

"Everything alright?" Noctis asked.

"Yea, just kinda got a little headache, I guess." He rubbed his temples to make the excuse more believable.

Noctis looked concerned "I can take you to the nurse."

"Nah, I'm fine man." He said as the bell rang for them to head to fifth period, which was lunchtime.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 On the Surface

"Hey, Prom?" Poppy asked shyly as she walked up to her best friend.

"Sup?" Prompto casually spoke as he placed his last textbook in his locker.

"Uh…" her cheeks began to grow ever pinker, overpowering her own doll like blush against her snow-white skin. "I was uh, well…" she trailed off.

Prompto gave her a confused look. Poppy never had an issue stating how she felt to anyone. So here rambling was staggering to him. "You what P?" he cocked his head to the side and shot her a charming smile. "You never stutter. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but" She paused again, taking in what must be her third deep breath. "Can you just, please, walk with me?"

Prompto closed his locker and nodded his head "Sure, P!" he began to follow after her.

As the two blondes began walking down the hallway to the outer doors, Poppy spoke up again. "By the way, where's Prince Noctis? You guys have been pretty inseparable ever since you met."

' _Dammit!'_ She cursed herself. _'Now he's gonna think I've been stalking him or worse, the prince.'_

Prompto just shrugged at Poppy's question "He had to leave as soon as the bell rang. He has these training sessions and trust me, no one would want to be the reason he is late!" he gestured the action of his throat being slit and dropped his head with his tongue out "And you can call him just Noctis, you know?"

Poppy giggled with a hand in front of her mouth. "Why is that?"

"Cause, his trainer or whatever. He is HUGE!" Prompto used motions with his arms to emphasize on the larger man's size. "But, Gladio, his name by the way, is pretty awesome after you get over his scariness."

The two of them continued to walk out of the doors of the school. Some students of the students were just now leaving, like they both were. As they walked out of the gates and down the hill, Prompto began leading Poppy and himself towards the small park they sometimes visited.

Poppy held her hands together in front of her shyly with her head down. "Must be tough being a prince I guess." She cursed herself for not thinking of anything else other than something about the prince to say. If she kept talking about him then Prompto would surely think she had feelings for his friend.

Prompto nodded and placed his hands in his uniform pockets. The had finally arrived at the small park at the bottom of the hill. The sun was preparing to set. The sky filled with blue, purple, and pink hues with just a touch of orange along the horizon as the sun lays upon it, looking like a half circle.

Prompto faced Poppy, the rays of the low sun giving color to her usual pale skin "So, uh, P. What did you wanna tell me?"

A flush of pink grew on her pale cheeks "I…" she froze again, she was so nervous. Her and Prompto had been friends since the beginning of the summer and you could even say some people assumed at times they were a thing, the ones who didn't know the truth about Prompto. Poppy was one of them who didn't. The fact that people assumed things like that never helped her to settle her feelings towards Prompto.

She thought back to a time when she had cried at this very park over losing her friends she was forced to leave from Niflheim. Prompto had been walking by when he had spotted her and walked over to her to give her his jacket he had been wearing to shield himself from the rain. She remembered the smell of his cologne and how it enveloped her. He took her to their favorite bakery and brought her a jumbo rainbow cupcake filled with M & M's her favorite. It had been the nicest thing anyone had done for her and the first time he saw her tough girl act fall. Most of all, she remembered the spark of the touch, when he grabbed her hand that day.

"Okay, okay. Stop." Prompto interrupted her thoughts. "Emergency Lucis Premium Cupcake's trip, now!" He grabbed her hand to drag her down to Lucis Premium Cupcake's, even if it meant it would be a fifteen-minute walk in his uniform.

They were sitting in their usual booth they would normally sit at in the corner next to the juke box. Poppy had the Unicorn Cupcake, which was her favorite, untouched.

Prompto looked concerned. Normally he and Poppy would be laughing and joking and playfully stealing each other's cupcakes. But everything was silent and Poppy wasn't touching hers at all. "Okay P, spill it. Now."

She held her hands in her lap, shaking. She looked up from her cupcake and into Prompto's bright blue eyes.

She took in a deep breath and sighed before she spoke the dreaded words "This is gonna sound really dumb but just hear me out."

Prompto listened intently and nodded to gesture Poppy to continue what she had to say.

Poppy continued "B-but that day. The day you first brought me here, I- I felt something."

Prompto placed his elbows on the table and cupped his chin in his hands "What do you mean?"

Poppy bit her lower lip due to her nervousness. She thought that would've been obvious enough for him but she knew then, boys really were clueless. "Like, like when you touched my hand, I just, felt something you know. I felt warm and tingly and by the six I sound like a fucking chick flick and…" She continued talking on and in, mainly about the things she liked so much about Prompto.

Prompto just sat there. He wasn't even listening. He couldn't listen, it would hurt him too much, even more than it was already hurting him. He didn't want to hurt her either but he didn't feel the same way about her and he never could really, it was impossible. Of course, he loved her dearly like he loved his other friends but he didn't love her romantically. He joked to himself that Noctis would have an incredibly higher chance of being with him, not that he felt that way about his new friend. Not at all. He was just froze there in his thought and couldn't speak until her voice registered through his brain again.

"Aren't you gonna say something? Anything?" she asked.

Prompto sat there terrified and wanting to make a run for it but it wouldn't be fair. Not fair to her. "I, uh." Was all he could manage.

Her face turned from just nervousness to complete sadness. "You don't feel the same."

It was what he was fearing for when he opened his mouth, he was breaking her heart. "It's not that but well, it is but you're amazing and a guy would be super lucky to have you because you're sweet and you're gorgeous."

"So why don't you like me then? If I am all those things." She said cutting him off.

"Cause, cause," he took a deep breath of his own as it was the final blow. "I'm gay Poppy, that's why." He sunk in his booth a little.

She looked confused "You, you don't act gay! I mean you flirt with girls all the time, y-you grabbed my hand that day." She was holding her tears back now.

"Okay, first off, you don't act a certain way if you're gay Poppy." He sounded slightly irritated and definitely offended. "And I'm just really friendly okay, and that day…" he paused, thinking of what to say "I didn't mean to make you feel like there was something. You were hurting and I- "

"But you did."

"I'm sorry I-" He reached for her hand.

"Stop." Poppy interrupted.

"Just stop." She stood up from the booth "I don't care anymore. You, you can't do that!"

"Do what?" Prompto attempted to grab her wrist this time to stop her but she swatted it away instead.

"That!" She pointed "You can't just charm me and make me fall for you and then you're apparently gay all of a sudden! No!" She began to run off, tears forming in her eyes.

"Poppy! Wait!" Prompto began to run after her until he bumped into another customer entering the door. "Sorry!" he said fast with his head down.

"Prompto?" a familiar voice of concern arose from the customer.

He looked up surprised to see "Noct?"

"Hey, man." Noctis greeted as he noticed the distressed look on his blonde friend's face. "Everything okay? Why did I notice Poppy crying?"

Prompto scratched the back of his neck nervously. "It's a long story. I thought you were training with Gladio today?"

"We finished early today and now I'm on a cupcake run for him, Iggy, and Iris. Mainly Iris though."

Prompto cocked his head to the side. "Iris?"

Noctis realized Prompto had no idea who she was "Oh, she's Gladio's little sister. She tags along with Gladio to the citadel sometimes and bugs me a lot. But I do owe her some respect, she got Gladio to let up a little on me and stop hating me."

"Gladio used to hate you?"

Noctis nodded.

"How'd she do that? I mean, Gladio looks like the type of guy, once he hates you, its final."

Noctis chuckled, the statement was kind of true he thought "I kinda saved her ass from getting chewed out. She got lost after chasing a cat through a secret entrance to this park that's closed off unless there's a special event."

"Dude! Why didn't you tell me you were a hero too?"

Noctis shook his head. "Cause I'm not."

"You kinda are, hero." Prompto winked at Noctis, who just crossed his arms and shook his head even more. "But you gotta show me this secret entrance that this hero," he put his arm around Noctis's shoulder. "used to save his friend's sister in distress!"

"You're such a nerd!" he chuckled. "But… I might." Noctis teased. "If you tell me what happened here."

Prompto threw his head back. "Ugh! You drive a hard bargain Noct but fine!"

Noctis smiled and slithered out from under Prompto's grasp and walked towards the counter to purchase the cupcakes he came for.

He ordered his cupcake first. It was called the Chocolate Heartattack. The name said it all. Only people who really, really enjoyed chocolate and rich foods could eat it in one sitting. It was a regular chocolate cupcake adorned with rich chocolate icing with chocolate sprinkles and syrup drizzled atop said icing. The inside was filled with more chocolate syrup that would ooze out like lava.

He then ordered Ignis'. His was simple but still a shock to Noctis that the man even ate any junk food but he assumed even Ignis splurged every once in a while. It was a simple red velvet cupcake filled with cream cheese frosting and adorned with the same frosting as well. Small red velvet crumbs were sprinkled on top. It was called Aulea's Special and had been dedicated to the late queen Aulea, Noctis' mother. He assumed the cupcake resembled her in a way since it had been named after her. Still, he choked the words when ordering it.

After the man had Ignis' order in, Noctis ordered Gladio's. His was the PB Lover's Special. The cupcake itself was chocolate but didn't have a normal icing on top. The icing was made of mainly peanut butter and sugar. The inside had been filled with either the choice of Reese's Pieces or Reece's Mini Cups. Gladio's preference were the Reese's Cups instead of the Pieces. Noctis personally hated the cupcake, he wasn't a huge fan of peanut butter.

His last order was Iris'. She loved the Strawberry Supreme. The cupcake was strawberry flavored of course with small strawberry pieces that has been mixed in the batter. The frosting was simple cream cheese frosting like on Ignis's cupcake. A single strawberry decorated the top of the cupcake. The filing was similar to the topping on most strawberry cheesecakes.

Once all of his orders were done and he was about to pay, he stopped and asked Prompto if he had wanted one too.

The blonde shook his head. Surprisingly, he didn't even eat his cupcake he ordered earlier and was frankly not in the mood to eat one anymore.

"Alright." Noctis said as he swiped his card and grabbed the bag containing the cupcakes in their respective themed boxes. "Come on, you can tell me on the way to the citadel." Noctis asked without even asking Prompto if he wanted to go because he knew, Prompto wanted to go.

Prompto followed Noctis out of the door and asked when he finally caught up. "So, Mother Ignis actually let you come here without his supervision?"

Noctis shrugged. "Somewhat." And slid into the far side off the backseat of the car "Hey, Taro, this is Prompto. He's coming with me."

Prompto slid next to Noctis and closed the car door. "Hey."

Taro looked at Prompto with warm eyes but also concern "Is he authorized by your father Prince Noctis?"

"Yea, he's my friend." He said with a mouthful of cupcake.

Taro nodded and began driving to the citadel.

Prompto laughed, clapping his hand on his knees.

"What's so funny?" Noctis looked at Prompto confused, not knowing he had icing on his nose.

Prompto continued to laugh but finally found his breath to speak. "You got a little something on your nose dude." He giggled some more.

In fact, Noctis' nose had a big clump of chocolate icing and even some left on his hand. Lucis Premium Cupcake's was known for their cupcakes being large and messy, so it was inevitable and a waste to try to keep clean. So instead of Noctis wiping what he had off his nose he smeared his hand with icing across Prompto's cheeks.

Noctis was the one laughing now. "Now you do too!"

Taro, not happy about the mess he would have to clean if any icing were to get on the seats, didn't say anything about the two. Instead he smiled, he had not seen the prince have that much fun with someone his same age in a long time. The happiness in his eyes and the smile was priceless for the man to see upon the young prince.

Prompto had nothing to retaliate with but "Oh Emm Gee! If this gets on my uniform, you're cleaning it!" he turned to point at Noctis "And you can't get Ignis to do it either!"

"Okay fine! Here." Noctis handed the blonde a napkin from a compartment in the car.

Prompto took the gesture of a truce and swiftly cleaned the chocolate icing off of his face. As the blonde was cleaning the icing and making sure he hadn't missed a spot, he felt a clump of some icing that had managed to make its way into his hair.

Prompto instantly had a meltdown "Oh no! My hair!" he screeched, which gathered a snicker from the man whom was driving "You are so paying for that!"

Prompto took the napkin that he had used to wipe the icing off his own face and smeared the frosting from it all over Noctis' face. The frosting was in scattered smudges across his face and made him look like he had just gotten done rolling around in mud.

"Dude!" Noctis scrambled to get more napkins from the compartment and wiped the icing Prompto had smeared on his face off. "I'm not gonna show you," he leaned in closer to whisper so Taro wouldn't hear. "the secret place."

Prompto crossed his arms and huffed "Then I just won't tell you about what happened."

"Tell me and then I might show you." Noctis demanded.

"Later, I'd prefer it if we were," he leaned in closer this time to whisper so Taro wouldn't think anything weird could be going on. "in private."

Noctis sighed a heavy sigh. "Fine" He leaned against the window of his door and decided to nap the rest of the way to the citadel.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 He's Kinda Hot

"Noct, when I send you to get cupcakes I don't expect you to arrive wearing yours." Ignis scolded as he spotted a few extra spots Noctis failed to clean. "I also didn't expect to see Prompto but it's good to see you again."

"Hey, Iggy." He scratched the back of his neck "I smeared the cupcake on Noctis though."

Ignis put his hands on both of his hips. "Well, I should make you both clean the seats of the car then."

Prompto and Noctis both looked at each other shamefully like two kids who have just been scolded for eating the last cookie in the cookie jar. They were also holding back laughter they were trying to contain.

"C'mon Iggy!" Iris bounded over to Ignis and grabbing hold of his arm. "Let Noct and this guy Prompto off the hook."

" _This guy_ happens to be my best friend." Noctis huffed as he crossed his arms.

Prompto's eyes widened and he bowed, mockingly at how snobby people would bow in hopes to impress royalty. "It is the highest honor to be considered your best your highness." He couldn't stay serious, no. He busted into laughter as he grabbed his knees.

Iris, herself left out a few giggles at the blonde. "Well, at least your new friend is funny Noct."

Noctis rolled his eyes and looked away so they wouldn't catch his own smile achieved from Prompto's clear attempt at a joke. And maybe he was blushing too? He shook his head and let out a sigh.

Ignis was cutting his cupcake, still in the box, with a knife and would eat small pieces with a fork.

Gladio raised an eyebrow at him as he ate his own in almost a whole bite. "Why can't you eat them like a normal person?"

"Because I refuse to eat like a heathen." Ignis said quickly and took another small bite.

Gladio snorted in retort but continued to stay quiet.

The group had chosen to make the night a movie night in the Citadel's entertainment room, with the approval from Regis of course. Well, it had mainly been Iris' idea and no one ever really went against what she wanted to do. She would always get her mind in the end but the guys rarely ever minded and Prompto seemed to like the idea and all of her movie choices, which consisted of a lot of cheesy romance.

Her first movie choice was the Titanic, which of course she has watched at least ten times. She had seen it so many times that she could practically rehearse it perfectly if she wanted to. Of her perfect memorization of the movie, she still cried. Every time, she cried at the end, Noctis would be quick to make fun of her while Gladio had already fallen asleep on Ignis' shoulder. Noctis always thought that was a funny way to see the pair, since Gladio was such a larger man.

Noctis and Iris were the only two people that Ignis and Gladio let know about their relationship, since Gladio's father was not too keen on the same sex relationship (as his father would call it) "epidemic". Well, now Prompto knew as well since he was the new addition to the group.

The night was going slightly different than it normally did though. Instead of Iris being the only one crying on Noctis' shoulder this time, Prompto was crying too.

"Oh Em Gee!" he grabbed a tissue from the box Iris sat down on Noctis' lap for Prompto to be able to reach. "I was told this movie was sad but, dang!" he sniffled a bit.

Noctis chuckled at the two crying "Should've known you were a crybaby too."

Iris bopped him on the side of his head. "Shut up! We're crying because we know beautiful and emotional art that you just can't understand!"

"Yeah, what she said!" Prompto agreed. "But like it was so romantic and sad at the same time." He continued.

"And the guy that she was going to marry was such a heartless jerk!" Iris added.

"Exactly! And," Prompto leaned over Noctis a little as he handed Iris his phone and pointed at a paragraph from an article he had been reading. "there's this theory about how Jack wasn't even real because Rose was clearly not right in the head in the beginning."

Iris gasped with a hand over her mouth. "That's even sadder!" she began crying even more.

"I know!" Prompto nodded. "He was such a sweet guy and he was pretty hot too."

Ignis raised an eyebrow and looked in Prompto's direction and smiled at what he already knew. He then quickly continued writing a recipe from Pinterest down in his recipe book.

"He was way hot! Definitely hotter than Mcdouchey pants!" Iris agreed with Prompto.

Noctis spoke up finally "You guys have terrible taste!" he crossed his arms.

"Oh, hush! You don't have any experience with guys, so you wouldn't know taste." Iris spat the words at him as she bopped his nose.

"Hey!" Noctis just huffed.

"Plus, everyone thinks Leonardo DiCaprio is hot! Right Iggy?" she asked Ignis who then dismissed her question.

"I am not participating in this topic." Ignis pushed his glasses up.

"But Gladdy's asleep and we won't tell!" Iris begged.

Ignis lay his book down on his lap and sighed. "He is… cute." He blushed and picked his book and phone back up.

"Told you!"

"I don't care." Noctis crossed his arms again.

"You're just jealous because you're not as hot as him. Right Prompto?" Iris asked.

"Huh? Oh. Um. Well, I guess." Prompto had no idea what to say and how exactly to say it so it didn't sound weird. Noctis glared at Prompto making him even more nervous. "But, you're still good looking too! I mean he's a celeb so, they probably put makeup or edit him with camera tech to make him look hot but yours is natural so-" Prompto rambled on but was interrupted by Iris laughing so loudly that Gladio stirred a little but still continued sleeping.

Prompto's cheeks turned red at what he realized what he had said "What?" he tried to brush it off.

Noctis chuckled with Iris and he teased the blonde. "My hots are natural, huh?"

Prompto's eyes widened and at first, he was speechless. "No, no, no!" he shook his head "I didn't say you were hot! I said you were good looking for an average guy!"

"So, I'm not hot? Should I be offended?" he asked jokingly.

"No! I just. Ugh!" Prompto threw his hands up in defeat and he swore he heard Ignis laughing too. "Can we just watch the next movie?"

"Okay, fine." Iris said as she giggled some more. She then bounded away from the large and comfortable sofa that practically wrapped around the entire room and could sit at least twelve people, though it would be stuffy, nine would be a more comfortable number.

She switched to her second movie choice. It was another one that she had watched multiple times but none of the guys besides Prompto had seen it and Gladio probably never would since he was asleep. He was never really big on movies, especially if they were romance.

"So, this is called The Great Gatsby." She announced as she headed back to her spot on the sofa. "It's really good!"

"Is it another romance?" Noctis grunted.

"Kinda, but its good, like she said. You'd like it." Prompto mentioned. "But to be honest I paid more attention to the friendship between the two main characters. The love story was basically secondary."

"The friendship between Nick Carraway and Gatsby?" Iris stated more than questioned.

"Uh, huh." Prompto nodded.

"Eh. I just didn't like how Gatsby tried to buy Nick with all the luxuries."

"But he wasn't." Prompto disagreed.

Iris shrugged.

Noctis narrowed his eyes at the two. He didn't trust that he was the only one who hadn't seen it. Ignis didn't count because he looked as if he was going to fall asleep too and he would have to witness the movie.

When the movie was over, all he could say was "Wow." He didn't expect for so much to go to shit so fast and to enjoy it nonetheless.

"I told you it was good." Iris spoke proudly of her movie choice.

"I have to admit. It was a pretty good movie with _him_ in it." Noctis shrugged.

"Oh, come on! Stop being jealous!" She got up to switch to the last movie.

"I'm not jealous!" Noctis denied.

"Yeah, okay." She smiled and then winked at Noctis.

The last movie she chose allowed most of anyone to put their own take on it. It could be a perfect romance to one, a comedy to another, or a terrible mess of a tragedy to some. But to Noctis, he saw it as a ridiculous train wreck. The movie she had chosen was Romeo & Juliet, modernized. Of course, Leonardo DiCaprio was in that one too.

"I'm starting to think that you have an obsession and its unhealthy." Noctis spoke in disgust.

"I do not!" She said in a high pitch. "He's just a good actor! Right Prompto?" She looked to her new blonde friend for reassurance yet again.

Prompto decided he couldn't embarrass himself by agreeing this time and nodded while yawning at the same time.

"Ha! Already tired?" Noctis jabbed at his friend's side.

"Nah!" Prompto waved off and sat up a little.

"I didn't think anything could've been any more stupid than the original thing." Noctis crossed his arms.

"Aw, come on, Mr. Salty! You gotta agree, it was at least funny." Prompto nudged Noctis' shoulder.

Noctis just shrugged.

Iris stood up and stretched. "Well, I'll go wake these sleepy heads up." She yawned from exhaustion. "Night guys."

They both told her their goodnights.

Noctis leaned over to reach for the remote on the large glass coffee table. He switched from the movie to regular TV while Iris woke her brother and Ignis for them to go to Ignis' room.

Ignis had been whispering to Gladio as they walked out about how Prompto had practically called Noctis hot on accident. The large man had to stifle his laugh as they walked out of the room.

When everyone finally left the room, Noctis faced Prompto "Now, are you gonna tell me?"

Prompto took a sip of his Sprite. "Tell you what?" he asked.

"About what happened at the bakery, duh."

Prompto thought about answering for a second. "Have I been shown this secret passage yet? I think not." He smiled.

Noctis grunted "I'll show you tomorrow, it's too late now."

"Well, I guess you'll find out tomorrow then." He smiled a sly smile this time but it quickly faltered as he began experiencing the same excruciating pain he did the night he first got the brand. "Ow! Shit!" he grabbed his wrist with his other hand.

"Whoa. What's wrong?" Noctis asked concerned as he lay his hand on Prompto's that was covering his wrist.

Another shot of pain and Prompto winced, lifting his hand away from his wrist a bit.

Noctis could see it. There were two letters glowing and he could see the black S that was already there.

"Hold on. I'll go get a cold cloth, you can wrap around your wrist." Noctis stood up and ran out of the room leaving Prompto alone and in pain. He felt terrible, so he had to hurry.

Prompto was having trouble breathing. He felt like his arm was going to be consumed by flames once again.

' _Why did it have to be so painful?'_ he thought to himself as he gritted his teeth.

"I'm back!" Noctis called as he rushed over to his friend and handed him the cold and wet cloth.

It was almost instant relief when the coolness reached his skin. It still stung and it would for a little while.

"T- thanks." He managed to speak.

Noctis nodded and looked at his friend with worry. Of course, he knew the branding wasn't dangerous but it still shook him up to witness it happen to his friend. He couldn't stand to see the usually happy blonde in so much pain and he clenched his fist at the fact there was nothing he could do. He was only somewhat relieved that Prompto wasn't having to see Noctis like this and hoped he wouldn't.

The pain had finally subsided to just as simple as feeling like pins puncturing his skin lightly and Prompto removed the cloth, leaving the letters exposed.

"Sit?" Noctis sounded confused as he cocked his head to his side.

"I can't even think of any names that start with that. Let alone even know anyone."

Noctis shook his head "Me either but we should probably head to bed. You'll probably need it."

"Yea."

"Can you walk okay?" Noctis asked as he stood up.

"It's on my wrist, not my leg. So, I'm pretty sure I can walk." Prompto said jokingly and stood up to follow Noctis through the halls of the Citadel.

He thought about his day. He probably lost a friend for good today. He got branded with two more letters that didn't even make any sense to him. He cursed the six under his breath but then he looked up. He looked at Noctis and how he showed up at the bakery at the worst time and drug him along to the Citadel for a movie night. A night that turned his somewhat crappy day into a pretty good day. He smiled and had no idea why his cheeks were beginning to feel hot.

After they entered Noctis' room, Noctis flopped down on his large and luxurious bed. Prompto still shocked at how other than his bed and couple of other pieces of furniture in his room, Noctis was able to make his room look like a regular teen's room with posters and other things he had collected. He looked at Noctis' desk that had a cubby for his albums and was shocked that in such a digital age, someone else other than Prompto collected physical copies. He was even more shocked when he saw a copy of Twenty One Pilots' Blurryface.

"You like them?" he asked as he picked it up. "Whoa. You got it signed by them!"

Noctis sat up and nodded "Yeah. They're my favorite band actually." He said as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Mine too! I remember I wanted to go to their concert so bad over the summer." He placed the album back in its place and sat next to Noctis on the bed.

"You didn't go?" he looked at Prompto with his head to the side.

Prompto shook his head disappointedly.

"Well, I'll have to take you to one then."

"Haha. Okay, Mr. Gatsby." He joked at how similar Noctis was acting to Gatsby.

"I'm serious." Noctis gave Prompto a serious look.

Prompto's eyes widened. "Wait. R- really? You don't have to."

He shook his head. "No, I don't but I want to." Noctis smiled softly at his friend.

Prompto looked down at his lap and realized he was still wearing his uniform. "Shoot!"

Noctis looked confused "What?"

Prompto laughed at himself and scratched the back of his neck "I kinda don't have any other clothes cause I didn't expect I was gonna come over."

"Here." Noctis walked over to his dresser and pulled out a Twenty One Pilots t-shirt and a pair of black capri sweats. "You can wear these. Pretty sure were the same size."

"Thanks." Prompto got up from the bed and walked into Noctis' bathroom to change.

While Prompto was changing, Noctis spared no time in getting comfortable in his bed once more and quickly fell asleep. When Prompto was finally dressed and in the room, he admired how soft the clothing was against his skin and ho amazing it felt and made a mental note that he was going to have to find out what Noctis' clothes were washed in. Prompto then turned the lights off and still amazed by it every time and then lay next to Noctis who was sound asleep. He could see the dark-haired man's body rise in rhythm and Prompto quickly followed the same rhythm.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Secret Tunnels and Weird Guys

"Noct!" the young man called out his friend's name as he gently shook in attempt to wake him.

Noctis mumbled and rolled back over to sleep, ignoring his friend completely.

"Ugh!" Prompto grunted and decided that if Noctis was going to play that way, he triggered the lights to turn on completely, blinding the sleepy prince.

Noctis mumbled some more and gathered his covers over his head.

Prompto shook his own head and was about to give up and let the prince continue sleeping but he then came up with a devious plan.

"You asked for this!" he said jokingly before he jumped onto Noctis' bed.

He had no idea if his plan would actually work but if Noctis was anything like himself then this would be the winner. He placed both of his knees on each side of Noctis' thighs. The prince held the covers tighter over his head at the unexpected movements on the bed.

Prompto thought to himself that it would probably look very weird to outside eyes but he was determined to get this sleepy prince up at all costs. He yanked the covers away from Noctis, blinding him once again.

Noctis' hands instantly went up to shield his eyes from the blinding light "What are you-" he began to grumble his words at Prompto in irritation but was interrupted.

"Sorry, dude." He apologized to his friend as he did not expect what reaction he was going to receive from Noctis once he began his plan.

This gathered a confused look from the prince's groggy eyes but that disappeared as soon as it appeared. Prompto had begun bombarding his friend with tickles to his side. He didn't even know if he was ticklish or not, he just did what his dad would do when Prompto was little and refused to wake up.

Apparently, his effort succeeded. Noctis began squirming beneath Prompto and tried to hide his giggles but failed. Prompto was surprised to learn that his friend was actually ticklish, very ticklish. Noctis started grabbing at the blonde's hands to pry them off but he failed due to the tickling sensations making his arms feel like jelly. He finally decided he was not going to win against his friend.

"Okay, Okay! I'll get up! Just stop!" he pleaded.

Prompto stopped his tickling endeavors. "Promise?"

Noctis nodded "Promise. Now, get off me."

"Hehe. Good, cause," he held his hands to Noctis' sides as if he were ready to tickle him again. "I will do that again!"

"Please don't, I hate tickling."

"You just hate how ticklish you are!" Prompto laughed as he lifted his leg to the other side to get off of his friend. "Also, Iggy's making some kind of tart thing." He couldn't recall what the tart Ignis said he had been making was called.

Noctis sat up and rubbed his eyes, still tired. "Did it have a weird name or the ingredient he was using have one?"

Prompto nodded.

Noctis' eyes lit up a little and then he gave a stern but still joking look to his friend. "Well then, you could've said that before you started tickling me!"

Prompto blushed a little, thinking that he probably could've but he smiled only a small and sly smile. "But that wouldn't have been as much fun as watching you squirm around helplessly!"

He shoved his friend gently. "That's not a nice way to treat your prince."

Prompto's smile grew even more devilish. "Maybe, but I don't let that influence me." He laughed a little.

"That might get you in trouble in the future." It was Noctis' turn now to wear a sly smile.

"Oh no! I guess I'll be destined as an enemy!" Prompto joked. "A shame too. Kinda like being your friend."

The two boys both share laughter this time.

"I'm gonna get a shower bro. You can pick out some clothes to change into if you want." Noctis said before getting off his bed to walk towards his bathroom.

"Thanks dude, by the way, I took a shower before I tried to wake you up." He fidgeted with his hands a bit. "Hope that's okay."

"Mi casa, su casa." Noctis said before disappearing into his bathroom. "Oh." He popped his head back in the doorway. "You should keep that shirt. I got plenty of TOP merch, looks better on you anyway."

Prompto was blushing slightly but quickly shook his head. ' _It was just a compliment dude. Why you gotta be weird and make it a big deal for no reason?_ ' He really couldn't understand why a simple act of kindness made him feel…weird… all over.

He walked over to Noctis' closet to find an outfit and hoped it would smell as good as the one he wore last night. He padded through Noctis' shirts first, they were mainly black, except a few including the shirt Prompto was wearing, which was white. He found a grey t-shirt and grabbed it to take a closer look. He noticed it had the logo of his favorite Twitch channel, LoudAnnoying. He didn't even know they had merch but he figured that Noctis wouldn't mind him wearing it, since he did tell Prompto to pick out an outfit. It didn't take Prompto long to find a pair of pants because they all looked the same mostly. Prompto found one pair of distressed jeans, shocked that a prince would even have a pair but assumed Ignis didn't know about them or just let one pair slide.

He figured since Noctis was taking a shower, there would be no problem in him going ahead and changing. He lifted the shirt he was currently wearing up and over his head, leaving his toned muscles exposed. He threw the shirt on top of his uniform that was left lying on the floor. He then untied the capris since they had actually happened to be a size too big for him. He then slid them off and on to the floor and placed them on Noctis' already dirty pile of clothes.

He grabbed the distressed skinny jeans and shimmied his way into them. He thought it had been odd that the pants had been a perfect fit unlike the previous pair of pants but he assumed that it was just how clothes would work sometimes. He then slid the grey shirt on his thin but toned frame and sure enough, the shirt smelled as good as the one before.

"Noct?" Ignis said knocking on the door before he cracked it a little.

Prompto looked up from where he had his face buried in a part of the shirt. "He's in the shower. Sup Iggy?"

Ignis walked in the room only a little before noticing the prince's ever-growing piles of dirty clothing. "I swear, if he never learns to use this hamper, he will never woo his soulmate." He sighed as he gathered all of the clothes in the hamper.

Prompto chuckled "Like he'd be allowed to have a girl in his room alone."

Ignis chuckled too but because of what he knew was happening and then looked up to notice Prompto wearing a familiar outfit. "Are those Noct's clothes?" he asked a tad confused.

Prompto scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. He let me borrow some. I didn't have mine."

Ignis gave a more understanding look this time. "Well, I see, I could've taken you to get your clothes though, if that was what you had wanted."

"No, its fine! I didn't want to be a bother."

Ignis shook his head "Nonsense." He looked over to Prompto's dirty clothes next to Noctis' bed. "I will have your clothes washed separately for you, to save you the trouble."

"O-oh! Thanks! I mean, you don't have too."

Ignis placed the clothes on top of the hamper and walked closer to Prompto. "Prompto, it is fine, really. It's what I do and I personally believe I'll be seeing you a lot more anyway. So, I should get the staff used to having extra clothes washed on the weekends and you should get used to it too." He gave a pat to the blonde's arms. "Besides, I hate leaving any dirty laundry unattended to." And with that he gathered the hamper and left the room leaving Prompto slightly confused at what exactly Ignis had meant.

Noctis was almost finished with his shower. He was just rinsing a few extra suds from his shampoo out of his hair. Then he felt it. He felt the piercing and burning pain on his abdomen. The hot water of the shower intensifying the burn. Noctis bit his lip and swallowed his pain trying not to let a sound come out incase Prompto were to hear. He turned the dial all the way to blue. The hot water quickly turning cold and hit his skin like rain in the winter before it was truly cold enough to become snow.

At first, he thought this time the pain was never going to stop. He slid down the wall of the shower slowly to sit on the floor of the shower. He held his knees up to his chest wincing in even more pain and shivering in the now icy cold water. The cold always seemed to bother Noctis the most.

Finally, after a few minutes, the pain had subsided. He was somewhat scared to look but he got up to turn the water off and stepped out of the shower. He walked over to grab a towel and used it to absorb some of the water in his soaking wet hair. Before wrapping the towel around his waist, he wiped off the little bit of fog that was left on the mirror and looked at his reflection and down to his abdomen. He read "Prom". He raised an eyebrow at the letter combination but still couldn't make a clear connection. He wrapped the towel around his waist high enough so someone could barely see the "m", although he didn't think Prompto would look there but just in case. He didn't want Prompto to see and worry like Noctis had worried about him last night.

He walked out of the bathroom, a little steam remaining escaped. He saw Prompto laying on his bed and playing with his phone.

Prompto looked up from his phone screen to see a half-naked Noctis standing there with only a towel covering his unmentionables.

His cheeks turned a slight shade of red "I promise, I'm not gonna look! I'm not a perv!" he rolled over to his other side and occupied himself with his phone once again.

"Better not." Noctis said with a stern tone but still playful enough so Prompto would know he was joking with him. "Even though, you know, I guess I am kinda hot."

"Oh. My. Gosh. So not funny dude!" Prompto shrieked as his cheeks became even more red than what they were. "I didn't even say that!"

Noctis slipped his black boxers on underneath his towel before adding "But you kinda did!" Noctis chuckled.

"Ugh!" Prompto closed his eyes and brought his hands to cover his face. "Might as well broadcast the news across Insomnia! Heck, Lucis!"

Noctis chuckled some more before sliding a shirt over his head and slipping into a pair of sweats. "I'm not that cruel!" he walked over to thump Prompto on his forehead. "Plus, it's not like you got a crush on me or anything. So, it's cool." He finished before heading to the door.

Prompto sighed of relief and quickly followed suit behind Noctis.

"Hey, Iggy. I'm gonna show Prompto around some more." Noctis announced as he took the last bite of his tart.

"That is fine. Just be on your best behavior." As Ignis says this, Noctis raises an eyebrow at his advisor. "We apparently have surprise guests from Niflheim." He says this as Noctis raises an eyebrow, the spectacled man notices the change in facial expression. "We apparently have some surprise guests from Niflhiem." He takes a sip of his coffee once he is finished speaking.

"Is everything alright?" Noctis questioned still confused as to why there would be Niflhiem guests in the first place.

Ignis nods "If you call tiptoeing around words to ensure another country does not declare all-out war alright, then yes everything is splendid"

Prompto gulped as he listened intently to the conversation.

"Your father has told me to make sure that you do not worry yourself with these matters." He paused to take a breath. "I just advise you not to go to his wing unless it is of utmost importance."

Noctis completely ignored Ignis' words 'do not worry' as he began to worry. "Why? What's wrong with me going to his wing?"

Ignis took another sip of his coffee "Just passing the message Noct."

Noctis rolled his eyes and huffed but gave up his endeavor to get more information as he knew Ignis wouldn't spill. It was useless to continue questioning him. He stood up from his spot at the table and began walking to the two big doors that were behind him. He gestured Prompto to follow after him.

Once the two were out of the dining room, Prompto spoke up "What do you think the Niffs could be here for? And why so secretive? Shouldn't you know about these things!" he asked feeling the tension from his friend.

Noctis walked with his hands in his pockets and shrugged "Probably the usual bullshit, you know. Try to push my dad around. Gain more power. Stuff like that. My dad says I'm not ready to be involved so." He trailed off and just shrugged again.

Prompto could practically hear the hatred for the other country drip off of his friend's tongue and shuttered. "But your dad will show them their place!" He said trying to make light of the conversation.

And with that Noctis couldn't help but to smirk. It quickly faltered though when a mysterious man with a strange aura passed the two. The man had familiar burgundy hair that that Noctis could not recall where he had seen the unruly locks. He passed by with his gazed locked on Prompto as he gave a sly smile that sent chills to the blonde's very core. Prompto stopped walking to turn and watch as the eerie man continued walking.

The blonde flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder "That's just the chancellor. Don't let him scare you." He waited until Prompto turned back around to continue walking "It's in here." He pointed to the Citadel's garden.

Prompto's eyes grew wide when they entered the garden area. It was still inside of the Citadel. He had never seen anything like it in his life. There were many exotic ferns, flowers, and even trees. The beauty of everything had completely taken his breath away and he snapped a few pictures with his phone.

"Wow!" was all the blonde could say.

Noctis chuckled and pulled back a fern to show an over grown path. "Come on."

Prompto nodded and followed the prince into the wilderness of the garden.

Noctis led them to a window that he opened for him and Prompto to crawl through. Once Prompto was through, Noctis led him down some stairs to a long corridor that had many pipes along the walls and ceiling.

"Watch where you step and keep your head low." He warned and continued walking.

Prompto nodded and ducked his head and then continued walking carefully, following Noctis.

' _This place gives me the creeps'_ he thought to himself. _'This is like stuff right out of a horror movie.'_

Prompto almost tripped over a cord when he stopped abruptly, not noticing that Noctis had stopped in front of him, causing him to trip. Noctis had stopped to open a grait that he and Prompto would have to crawl through.

"We're going in there?" he asked lacking confidence in his voice.

"Mhm." Noctis hummed as he finally snapped the grait off and crawled through.

Prompto sighed. He was partially regretting his decision to follow Noctis. He knelt down on his knees and crawled through the grait to follow him anyway. The grait led them into a room that must have been used for storage of maintenance tools for landscaping.

"See. Wasn't so bad." Noctis spoke holding a hand out to help his friend up.

The blonde began dusting himself off. "I think I got spider webs in my hair." He ran his fingers through his blonde locks to remove any webs. "Eww!"

Noctis chuckled a bit and opened a door that led to the outside. Prompto quickly followed him and was relieved to see the sun again.

The blonde inhaled deeply. "Aah! Smell that fresh air! Makes you feel alive!"

"You're so dramatic!" Noctis joked as he shoved his friend gently.

"You're just now realizing? Dude, I'm in drama!" Prompto shoves back and starts taking pictures of the gorgeous scenery around him with his phone.

The park was the most prestigious in Insomnia and was the largest. Even though it was not currently being used for anything, it was absolutely stunning in beauty. Prompto wanted to make sure he was savor the beauty.

His shoulders dropped in disappointment when he saw some of the photos didn't come out in the quality he had hoped for. "Man, I need to get a camera."

Noctis looked over the blonde's shoulder to see the photos. "They're still good but hey, I thought you had a camera."

Prompto turned around and put his phone in his pocket. "Nah. That's the photography club's camera. I don't actually have my own." He couldn't help but sound a little disappointed.

"Maybe one day buddy." He winked and put an arm around the blonde's shoulder to lead him over to a bench.

They both took a seat at the bench "Oh!" Prompto leaned in a little closer to Noctis and held up a peace sign. "Smile!" the prince did so and he heard a 'Click!' which signaled that the picture had been taken.

Noctis looked at his friend "So, you got to see the 'secret place'. Time for you to hold up your end of the deal."

Prompto fiddled with his hands in his lap a bit before speaking "Yeah." He breathed a deep breath. The situation still tore him to pieces.

Noctis just sat there and waited until Prompto was ready to continue speaking.

Prompto took another deep breath "So, Poppy probably hates my guts now."

Noctis looked completely shocked "What!? Why?"

Prompto bit his lip "Apparently, I gave her the impression that I liked her. Like you know, in a romantic way."

Noctis listened and nodded.

Prompto took that as the cue to continue "And well, I guess she didn't know I was gay and she was just… just so rude about it and didn't even let me explain anything."

Noctis place a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder who was now shaking a little from the hurt and anger. "I know it probably hurts you dude but she showed her true colors. Friends understand each other."

Prompto nodded "Yeah, I guess. She had been acting like a bitch recently but she's always been like that." He sighed. "Just never to me. Till yesterday."

"Hey, I know what might cheer you up."

Prompto raised an eyebrow "What?"

"We should go to the arcade!" Noctis said as he stood up from where they were sitting. "Video games always cheer me up! "Plus, pizza and milkshakes."

"Heck yeah!" Prompto shot up from the bench and fist bumped the air. "Let's go! But we better not tell Ignis bout the pizza and milkshakes."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Failed Negotiations

"All rise for the king." A glaive standing guard at the door announced before opening it for King Regis.

As the king entered the conference room, Clarus and Cor bowed to their king while Ardyn gave him a sly smile and a half bow.

He noticed the man had wildly flowy burgundy hair and piercing amber eyes that were as sharp as a knife and his smile, was the worst. It made the king's stomach do somersaults every time he looked at it. Regis raised his eyebrows at the new chancellor he was unaware of but ignored the queasy feeling he felt in his stomach.

"Please, rise." He held his hand out, offering to shake the burgundy haired man's hand that he willingly accepted.

"I am Ardyn Izunia, the new chancellor your highness." He smiled yet another sly smile.

"I was unaware of such a change." Regis finally let go of Ardyn's hand to take a seat at the table.

"Ah, yes." Ardyn takes his seat along with the others. "The wall can keep you somewhat, sheltered from the outside world."

"And its safe that way." Clarus snorts in response to the rude chancellor.

Ardyn let out a low chuckle "While the rest of your people are left defenseless to the daemons." Ardyn's tone almost sounding coy as if he wanted to get a rise out of the other men.

"Why you…" Clarus raises his voice. "His highness does everything for his people a-"

"Please," Regis interrupts. "Let us converse upon the topic of this gentleman's business here." His gaze carries back over to Ardyn.

"Ah yes! Thank you… your… uh… highness." Ardyn provided a crooked smile. "As you know already, Lucis and Niflheim hasn't been on the best of terms at times."

Regis nodded in agreement "Yes, I am aware."

"Well," Ardyn began to continue "Niflheim would like to become friendly with Lucis but the price is the entire North of Lucis."

Cor raised an eyebrow at the high-priced offer "And you honestly expect the king to just give it to you? How could we even trust you?"

"It's a simple price for a simple act of peace. And may I say I was speaking to the king and not you. I would like the opinion that matters." Ardyn looks at Regis with a fake smile.

"You should know that I consult these two before I make any agreement of any kind as they are a part of my counsel and their opinions matter just as much." Regis says sternly. "And you should also know that we would never agree upon that deal. So, you can return to Niflheim and tell Emperor Aldercapt that he will never get his hand on Lucis as long as I am alive."

Ardyn tsked. "Tis a shame, really. Your kingdom could finally know peace. Wouldn't you want that for your people your highness?"

Regis became a bit flustered with anger but kept his cool "It wouldn't be my entire kingdom."

"But what's losing a few citizens to become ours for your kingdom of many others to know peace. I mean they already question your kingdoms stability and your authority."

Clarus stood up to slam his hand down on the table "Enough of this nonsense! I will not sit here while you belittle our king with such disrespect and demand such ridiculous propositions."

"Clarus." Regis placed his hand on his friend's arm. "I will handle this." He gestures for him to sit.

"I am well aware of how my people feel and it will only make them feel worse to give Niflheim yet another piece of land."

Ardyn makes a pouting face at his disappointment "I see. Well they shall not be happy to hear about this."

"Well, he can some speak to me himself." Regis looks at the glaive that had been standing by the door the whole time "Please, show our guest the way out." The glaive nods at the king.

Ardyn rose from his seat from the table and shakes his head as he stands "Such, graceful, manners from the dear king. I do hope you change your mind in the near future, for your best interest." He tipped his hat before he walked out of the conference room.

As he exited into the hallway he turned to the glaive "Please, I know my own way out."

The glaive gave a confused look but before he could object, Ardyn slipped a strange coin into the man's hand.

"I hear those fetch a nice price." The burgundy-haired man winked before walking out of sight

Ardyn continues down a hallway with walls adorning multiple traditional family portraits. He snorted at most of them he passed, remembering every little thing that each of the past kings and queens failed at

"None of them paid the price to protect the people." He mumbled to himself so that he wouldn't be overheard. "And you made sure to take credit for what I had done, didn't you dear brother." He stopped at the portrait with two young men on their coronation day. "You told them I was a monster. Stole my crown and exiled me." He clenched his fist and smiled. "Soon. Soon, they'll pay, they'll all pay. Starting with this little brat." He walked down the hall way and paused shortly at a portrait of Noctis. "The so called, _'chosen king'_."

"Your dad will show those Niffs their place!" an undeniably cheery voice that Ardyn heard as he walked the corner of the hall.

He looked up at a young man with blonde locks and violet-blue eyes that seemed so familiar to him. He stared intently and as the prince and his blonde companion came closer to him, he reached into his pocket for his Magitek Scanner. He would use this device to scan and sometimes update information on Magitek Soldiers by scanning their bar codes or for the special operations soldiers, such as spies, invisible bar codes.

Ardyn held the device close to his ear to hear the results. "Unit 0006-0204-01987. Purpose: Imperial Spy-Type AG. Status: Unit has been compromised." The device's AI volume low enough, so that only Ardyn could hear.

As he passed the two he smiled the slyest smile at the blonde who gave him a confused yet fearful look.

"Just as I thought. Poppy will bring you home to me and your father soon enough." He said to himself when he was just out of earshot of the two boys.

The door to the apartment opened. Poppy not expecting anyone reached for her gun, thinking that she had blown her cover somehow. She held the gun steady, prepared to shoot any intruder but her hand fell at the sight and she sighed in relief. She stiffened a little at realization and quickly grew confused at the sight.

"Dad?" she was confused as of why her father was here, in Insomnia. "You're back? Is everything going okay there?"

"Yes, yes. Everything is swell." Ardyn confirmed as he sat in a chair in the living room. "I hope to hear everything is going well on your end as well."

Poppy rolled her eyes. "Not really. My original plan failed and now he'd never fall for our plan."

"I see." Ardyn nodded as he held his chin in a thinking position.

"You're not mad?" Poppy asked unsure.

"No, no. In a way, this can still work."

Poppy cocks her head to the side in confusion "How?"

"It might be easier for you to go for the prince, he's not very aware or let alone smart." Ardyn won a chuckle from Poppy as she agreed to that statement. "I assure you, with the information I have gathered today, you won't have to worry about his blonde companion." Ardyn smiled the most sinister smile that Poppy had ever seen in her life.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Chocobo Plushie

"Hey, Noct." Prompto spoke up after taking a bite of pizza.

Noctis looked up from his chocolate milkshake he was sipping at his friend. "Sup?"

"Uh, thanks. You know, for this. I've never really had someone to try and cheer me up."

Noctis shook his head as he sipped his milkshake again "No problem man, it's like I said, she showed her true colors and what she said to you was a super low blow."

Prompto chuckled nervously "Heh. Yeah." He gulped before speaking again. "Did that Niff guy freak you out?" he whispered as if someone was spying on him and could hear his every word.

Noctis shrugged "I guess I'm used to them I guess but don't let him freak you out okay. Even if he did want to hurt you, which I doubt, I'd never let that happen, ever."

Prompto smiled while he sipped the last of his strawberry milkshake. "So sweet dude!"

Noctis stared in confusion "What?"

Prompto chuckled "You said you wouldn't let that guy hurt me," he placed is hand over his heart to add emphasis on his statement "You're like my hero!"

Noctis laughed as he shook his head "You're such a dork!"

Prompto shrugged "It's what I do!"

Noctis went back to drinking his milkshake and Prompto looked around, scanning the arcade. He noticed a claw machine that had a variety of plush dolls. Among the many moogles, tonberries, and cactuars Prompto noticed that there was only one chocobo left.

"Hey, look!" Prompto pointed to the machine as he got Noctis' attention. "We gotta get that chocobo!"

Prompto stood up to grab hold of Noctis' wrist and practically drag him over to the machine. He began patting his pockets for a coin to insert in the slot but was distraught to realize he used all of his to beat Noctis' high score on the arcade version of King's Knight.

Noctis noticed this, he reached into his pocket to pull out a coin and inserted it in the machine. The machine lit up and the claw moved to the center. Noctis took hold of the joystick and took caution to maneuver it carefully so it would hover over the chocobo in the back as Prompto watched and bit his lip nervously.

After a couple of wiggles of the joystick, Noctis held his breath and finally pressed the button. The claw dove and clasped around the chocobo but slipped as it came up. Prompto began biting his nails when he noticed the claw held the chocobo by its tail and slipping from its grasp. The claw brought the chocobo to the dispenser successfully before it fell.

Prompto instantly reached for the chocobo and cuddled it. "It's so fluffy!"

Noctis chuckled at his friend's excitement over a chocobo before he turned to return to their table but was taken off guard by being crushed into a tight embrace.

"Thanks, Noct!" Prompto said over his shoulder.

Noctis chuckled some more before giving into the hug. "It's just a stuffed chocobo."

"But it was the last chocobo!" Prompto said after they released from the hug. "So, its special! Ooh! Selfie time!"

Prompto wrapped his arm around the Prince's shoulder for a good angle with his phone while still making sure the chocobo got into the picture.

 _Click!_

"Got it!"

"Good, lets head back before Iggy finds out and freaks." Noctis said as he spun around and bumped into a larger man. "Hey! Watch ou-" he looked up to see the man was Gladio who had his arms crossed.

"Oh, I know Noct." Ignis said from behind Gladio to no stand by his side with his arms crossed.

Noctis nervously chuckled and scratched the back of his neck "You see…"

Ignis shook his head "No. You had your father worried sick when he already doesn't need the added stress and I've already told Gladio to make sure you work off those unnecessary calories." The spectacled man pinched the bridge of his nose. "And I've told you multiple times that you need a royal escort at all times."

"But why? Nothing is going to happen here! It's not like I'm going into alleys where there's drug dealers and thieves!" Noctis groaned on.

Ignis sighed in frustration "Noct, you know the very-"

"Ignis, wait!" Prompto interrupted. "It was my idea to take Noct somewhere before getting permission. I should've known, since he's the Prince and he has to have protection. I'm really sorry!" Prompto's head fell low as he prepared to take the lecture from Ignis if it meant Noctis would avoid a lecture of his own.

"Prom." Noctis stared at his friend in awe.

"I find that hard to believe but I will take most of the blame for you both." Ignis offered.

"Iggy, Noct's never gonna learn…" Gladio mentioned before Ignis placed a hand to shush him.

"Gladio, I will do what I think is best when I please." Ignis turned around to begin walking "Let's go."

Gladio was sat down on a couch in the waiting area outside of the king's office. Noctis and Prompto were returning from getting some drinks and sat on the sofa across from the angry Gladio. Noctis noticed that Ignis was no longer in the room.

"Where's Iggy?" Noctis asked cautiously.

"Getting chewed out for something you did, like always." Gladio explained angrily as he sipped his warm tea.

"I'm still probably gonna get it after Prompto leaves!" Noctis sulked.

"Oh, you're definitely going to get it from me, that's for sure!" Gladio snorted.

Prompto took a deep breath before he spoke up "Why is everyone so protective? I mean I know he's the prince and all but it's not like people are trying to kill him." He held his head down expecting to get yelled at now for having a stupid question.

"Because Noctis' mother was killed by a daemon on a family vacation and Noct almost died himself." Gladio explained and Noctis sulked even more as he remembered the day. "So, ever since then, his highness has been doing everything in his power to protect his only son."

"Oh, man. I'm sorry dude. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." Prompto apologized as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Its fine."

The three sat in silence for what felt like forever. Gladio pulled out his book "Titus Andronicus" that he had been reading.

It astonished Prompto that a guy like Gladio found time and even read for fun, he knew that Noctis definitely hated reading with a passion. He fiddled around with the fuzzy material that made up the chocobo's feathers while they sat in silence.

Noctis was playing King's Knight, grinding to get an item he needed.

Ignis returned to the room from speaking with the king and faced Prompto and Noctis. "Prompto, I'm to take you home and Noct, your father wishes to have a word with you."

Noctis looked up at Ignis confused "What? Why does Prompto have to go home? He didn't do anything wrong, he lied when he said it was his fault."

"Because, I assure you Noct, you won't have time to hang out with him what with your training that I'm sure Gladio is going to put you through. Ultimately, it's better for your pride if he were to go home. He is welcome to return next weekend your father said." Ignis explained before gesturing Prompto to follow him.

"Well, bye Noct, I'll see you at school!" Prompto said before leaving "Oh, and thanks again dude!"

"No, problem." Noctis waved before walking to open the door to his father office.

"Why is it that you have been acting out lately my son?" Regis' voice was stern but full of concern as he spoke from his chair at his desk. "Because of this charade you pulled, I had to cut your friend's visit short and I can tell how much you enjoy his company. So, why would you do anything to patronize the time you have with him?"

Noctis avoided eye contact with his father by holding his head low "Dad, I'm sorry."

Regis sighs "I let you back in public school like you asked and you end up in detention on the first day and now, you sneak out?"

"I have reasons for both of those things, I promise." Noctis looked at his father now.

"Prompto?" Regis questioned with his eyebrows raised.

"It's not his fault. I just…" Noctis huffs while crossing his arms. "He's the only friend I have besides Gladio and Ignis and they're more like annoying brothers. I just have this want to protect him and I don't want him to feel uncomfortable with all the security you have on me you know?"

"I understand Noctis. I do, really." Regis pauses to take a sip of coffee. "I can tell he's a good boy and he's seems to be a genuine friend which can be rare at times but we both know there are people who are not so good Noctis and there is tension towards the royal family at times. I just want you to be safe." Regis looks towards his son with a warm smile.

"So, I can't be a normal teenager and hang out with my friend unless I have a glaive with me. That's great, I'll totally keep a friend like that." Noctis said sarcastically.

Regis understands how this can make relationships difficult for his son and he ponders on other ways he could go about keeping his son happy and safe. "I'll tell you what. Ignis and Gladio will be the ones to escort but once you reach sixteen, they'll only follow you from a distance. They'll be sure to be unnoticeable to you and Prompto on your outings. How's that?"

Noctis shrugs "I guess I can deal with that. If it makes you feel like I'm safe and you wont worry."

Regis nods "It will very much so."

"So, since we're talking about this sort of stuff. How bout me getting an apartment when I'm eighteen?" Noctis pleaded with his eyes.

Regis chuckles and shakes his head "Why do you wish to have one in the first place?"

"Just to enjoy a couple of my years before I have to start doing ya know king stuff."

"I'll think about it when that time comes closer, right now you're only fifteen."

"Only three years dad." Noctis smirked.

Regis shook his head "Do not remind me son, I can still remember telling you bedtime stories and tucking you in like it was just yesterday." His eyes became glossy at the mention of his son coming of age. "But I do hope you're not too upset for Prompto leaving so sudden. I feel that you and I, we need a father-son day tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Noctis' eyes lit up "That sounds amazing! W- what are we going to do?"

Regis chuckled at his son's excitement "I was going to leave that up to you, my son."

"Really?" Noctis could barely contain his excitement. He and his father rarely got to spend time together anymore with how busy his dad had been lately. It meant the world to Noctis to hear his father say they were going to have a father-son day.

Regis nodded before he stood up to walk around his desk to where his son sat. He held his arms out for a long hug that Noctis quickly jumped up to accept. Noctis could barely hold tears of happiness while hugging his father. He had been so worried about his health and didn't know if they were ever going to hang out again like they used to.

"Now, I suggest you not be late to Gladiolus' training session for you. I hear he is already upset by all of this."

"Ugh, I'm not gonna survive it dad." Noctis whined.

Regis smiled even more "Oh, but you will, now go." He was making sure his son was still not going to go free unpunished and Gladio was the best one to deliver the prince's punishments with his intense training regiments.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 A Day With Dad

It was a hot autumn day in Lucis but for once, Noctis wasn't complaining. He was just glad to be spending the day with his father whom he was finally able to convince to go fishing with him. Regis had agreed to go to Insomnia's local fishing lake that Noctis had heard about.

It was in the more wilderness and rural parts of the city. It wasn't every day you saw much nature in the great city of Insomnia. Unless, that is, you lived in the few rural areas there were and you could hardly call them rural at all really. Regis hoped that one day, the world would be safe enough for his son to finally enjoy the beauty of beyond the wall. Until then, they would have to enjoy places such as this inside the wall. The lake was still gorgeously stunning, the way the light would reflect the water and the beautifully architecture bridge that they had been fishing from, gave them a perfect view of the fountain that was on the other side.

"You know son," Regis broke the silence they had both entered while he focused to catch one fish while Noctis, had already caught three.

Noctis looked at his dad with a rare and warm smile before he responded. "Yeah, dad?"

"This very bridge we are standing on." Regis was now smiling at his son "was where I proposed to your mother."

Noctis's eyes sparkled as he stared at his father in awe. His father rarely mentioned his mother and Regis' late wife anymore. So, Noctis just never really asked about her.

Regis chuckled and looked back over the water, noticing the beautiful day it had been and remembering that very same day had been this beautiful.

"She always enjoyed nature and fishing happened to be one of her favorite pastimes, even though I've never been very good, I would always take her here." He smiled at the memories that now washed over him.

Noctis blinked a couple of times before leaning against the rail next to his father. "Wow."

"What? Surprised?" Regis chuckled lightly.

Noctis sighed gently "It's just, you never talk about her. It was kinda surprising to hear you bring that up."

Regis was the one to sigh now "I know I don't talk about her much but I did love her and it's just been hard to find out when I should bring her into a topic."

"Because everyone thinks I'm too fragile."

"Noctis…"

Noctis turned his head to his father "I'm not that weak anymore dad, I'm better."

Regis put a hand on Noctis' shoulder. "Are you? Or are you using defense mechanisms again? I just, I want to know you truly are okay." He braced for the reaction his comment would receive but was stunned by a calmer reaction.

"Look, I don't want to get into it but I'm trying, I really am and I'm pretty sure the nightmares aren't anything to worry about."

Regis looked at his son with concern now "Nightmares? You're having them again? What are they about?"

Noctis realized he had only told Ignis about his nightmares "Nothing, they're nothing." Noctis shook his head to quickly dismiss the question. "Just my imagination again."

"Very well son." Regis decided it was better not to push Noctis and ruin his son's decent mood. He knew his son would tell him in time. "You always did have quite an imaginative mind."

They both took a moment to laugh before falling into silence again. Regis went back to focusing on catching a fish for Noctis, since his son did say they wouldn't leave until he did.

Noctis felt his phone vibrate wildly and although he was avoiding using his phone today in order to enjoy as much time as possible with his dad. He figured that whoever it was had to have something important to say.

When he saw his phone screen he could see it had been Prompto who messaged him. He had sent him three back to back messages.

Prompto: Dude!

Poppy keeps texting me!

Btw you think Iggy can pick me up tomorrow? I'm

trying to avoid her for now.

Noctis started typing but before he finished the message his dad had caught his attention.

"Thought you had to pay attention even if you aren't the one fishing?" he joked.

"That's my rule, plus it's just a text." Noctis pointed out "It's not as bad as falling asleep like you or Gladio does."

Regis laughed at his son's flip on his words "Alright, alright, you got me! So, did Ignis text you? I heard my phone go off and I thought it might be him."

Noctis shook his head typing. "It was Prompto. Iggy would've texted way quicker if it was him and you didn't answer."

Regis just smiled. He was glad his son found a friend like Prompto. He genuinely enjoyed having the blonde over.

Noctis: I'm sure he won't mind but I'll ask when I get back from

fishing with my dad.

Prompto: Fishing? You. Like, fishing?

Noctis: Yea.

Prompto: Shoot. Fooled me. Fishing is so booring!

Noctis: Nah, its relaxing, also the place my dad took me to is

really pretty.

Noctis swiped up on his screen to open the camera app on his on his phone and turned around to the side of the bridge with the fountain. He pointed the camera to where some ducks had happened to be swimming near the fountain and sent the photo to Prompto.

Prompto: Duuude! You have to take me there!

Noctis smiled. He knew Prompto would instantly become excited and maybe he'll be a better fishing partner he thought and replied.

Noctis: I will.

After he placed his phone back in his pocket, he heard his dad call his name. He turned around to walk over to his father only to be stunned by what he saw.

Regis was holding a fish that was twice the size of the last fish Noctis had caught. Noctis' fish had been around a medium size and his father's fish put Noctis' to shame.

"Whoah! You caught a big one. Let me take a pic." Noctis wanted to have a photo to look back on one of the best days he's had in a long time.

After Noctis took the photo of his dad, Regis threw the fish back in the water.

"We should head back." He told Noctis as he dismissed the fishing rod "Ignis should have dinner ready by the time we get back."

Noctis followed his father as they walked in silence. Both men enjoyed solitude quite a lot and the silence that came with it but they especially enjoyed the solitude with one another's company. It was a true father-son bond that they had.

Before they arrived at the car Noctis broke the silence. "Hey, dad." He said scratching the back of his neck.

Regis turned his head back to look at his son but kept walking as well.

"Thanks again. It meant a lot really and I had fun, even if I am really sore." He was being completely honest. It really did mean a lot to him to have time alone with his dad and not have to worry about all the kingly duties his father had to tend to.

Regis threw his arm around Noctis' shoulder to give him a half hag as they arrived at the car.

"I know, it does for me to." He said before letting go and getting into the car as he waited for Noctis to get in on his side before they finally left.

Noctis was lying on his bed, getting ready to settle down for the night and go to sleep. He grabbed his phone to text Prompto again before he fell asleep.

Noctis: Hey.

Specs said he'll pick you up around 6:30.

Prompto: M'kay.

And sorry if I'm causing any inconvenience but this

girl's got my anxiety at the max right now.

Noctis: You're never an inconvenience.

You know, that right?

Prompto: I feel like it sometimes but hey, thanks man!

Noctis: No problem.

But you shouldn't feel like that. You're an amazing

person Prompto and I value our time together. Heh,

look at me, now I'm sounding like a therapist. But

seriously, you think I'd make time for just any dork.

Prompto: DUDE! YOU'RE BEING THE HERO AGAIN!

Like that was really sweet but cheesy too lol.

Seriously tho, thanks, I value our time together too.

Noctis had no idea why his cheeks were beginning to feel hot. He was hoping for once he wouldn't be sick on a school day and decided it might be best for him to get to sleep as soon as possible.

Noctis: I'm gonna go to sleep. See you tomorrow.

Prompto: Night dude.

Noctis: Night.

"Noct," a weak voice Noctis was quickly able to recognize that it was Prompto's "Why?" he looked down to see his friend all battered and bloody.

"W- what?" Noctis choked out in response "What happened to you? Who did this?" Noctis asked in a panicked tone as he knelt down to his friend.

Noctis looked around for any signs of anyone else but he was in a dark room. He couldn't tell where they were and he couldn't see a way out anywhere.

"Y- you." Prompto pointed weakly at Noctis as he shivered as he cowered away.

Noctis looked at the blonde confused but didn't have time to think about it. He couldn't let Prompto keep trying to get away, not while he was hurt.

"What? Wait, you're hurt!" he rushed over to his friend again. "Prompto! Let me help you!" he shouted his voice started to shake.

"No!" Prompto shouted, struggling to get to his feet.

Noctis couldn't understand why Prompto was so terrified of him until he looked down at his hands. They were covered in blood and he was holding a bloody dagger in his left hand. He realized that he must've somehow stabbed him when he noticed Prompto was clutching a wound on his side.

"Tck. Tck." A mysterious man in the shadows shook his head. "You should've know they wouldn't accept your kind. Especially," the man arose from the shadows to reveal unruly burgundy hair and a sly smile you couldn't forget. "a mentally unstable prince who is clearly capable of such anger towards betrayal." He pointed to the dagger in Noctis' hand.

Noctis' blood began to boil. He remembered exactly who the man was. His name was unknown but he knew he was the man he and Prompto had encountered in the hallway. His fury grew even stronger every moment he looked at the vial man. He thought back to what Prompto had said about that guy and how he felt like he had felt off to him and he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick to his stomach.

"He finally let someone in." the burgundy-haired man said as he grabbed Prompto by his chin. "He trusted you. Accepted you. And what did you do. You played him. You lied to him. Your best friend. Oh, oh, that had to hurt him." He placed his hand on his chest as if he was sympathizing with Noctis.

"No." Prompto shook his head "You're wrong, I didn't betray him."

Noctis wanted to fight. He wanted to kill the man if it meant Prompto would be safe and forgive him for doing what Noctis couldn't even remember doing. He'd do anything for Prompto but it was like his feet were glued to the ground. No matter how much he wanted to move, he just couldn't. To just push the Niff away from his friend and hug him for as long as he had to or was allowed but he couldn't. He couldn't move or speak. All he could do was watch Prompto cry in front of him, wounded, by his own hands.

The man smiled at Noctis "But you know I'm right. The one person you trusted. The one you found yourself caring the most about without even knowing, betrayed you!" he walked up to Noctis now "Oh, dear! It seems you can't move, can you?"

Noctis tried his best to glare but had no idea if he was even making a facial expression at all. He just wanted to bust his jaw and be done with him. He noticed the man reached for the bloody dagger in his hand. He basically yanked it out of Noctis' hand.

He looked at Noctis and patted his shoulder "Don't worry. Ill finish the job for you."

Noctis tried everything in his power to move, to just reach for the man and pummel him to the ground but all his efforts failed.

With dagger in hand, the man walked towards Prompto who was slowly backing away. He was too weak to run. The man grabbed him and buried the dagger deep in the blonde's stomach. Prompto fell to his knees and coughed up blood. The sight alone was enough to destroy Noctis.

The last audible thing he was able to make out from Prompto was "I…sorry…Noct…looo" before he collapsed to the ground.

"Nooo!" Noctis shrieked as he opened his eyes to see the darkness of his room.

He looked to his bedside table for his phone. When he grabbed it the, the time read 2:32 am. He unlocked his phone to open his messages to text Prompto. He had to know it had been a dream. He had to know his best friend was okay.

Noctis: Prompto!

Prompto!

PROMPTO!

PROMPTO ARGENTUM!

He typed frantically and sent multiple texts, hoping that Prompto's phone wasn't on silent.

After what felt like forever, he finally heard his phone ding.

Prompto: Dude! What is it!? It's like 2 early o'clock.

Noctis: Can I call you?

Prompto: Okay, now you're freaking me out.

Just a sec!

Literally a second after Prompto sent his last message, Noctis saw his name across his phone screen.

"H- hey." He answered with a shaky voice.

"Noct, what's up? Are you crying?" Prompto's voice was soothing and was enough to begin to calm him down.

"No." he denied while wiping a tear from his eye.

"You still haven't told me what's wrong."

"Don't laugh. Please." Noctis pleaded.

"Okay, whatever it is I won't laugh."

"Swear to me Prom." Noctis demanded his voice was still shaky.

He heard Prompto take a breath "I, Prompto Argentum, solemnly swear, I will not laugh at Prince Noctis and his highness' problem."

Noctis chuckled a little bit You're so lame." He now took a deep breath to prepare what he was going to say. "I had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?" Prompto asked confused.

Noctis hummed a "Yes" in response.

"About what?"

Noctis held his breath "This is gonna sound so weird but it was… about… you."

"Me?" Prompto asked in a higher pitch than normal.

"Mhm."

"Shit, dude! Just remember, it's a dream and I'd never hurt y-"

"No." Noctis interrupted "I think. I think I hurt you somehow and then this guy said some random shit I can't remember and he…" Noctis couldn't help the crack in his voice as he was trying to hold back a sob.

"He what?" Prompto asked in a concerned tone.

Noctis bit his lip and took a deep breath before he answered, "killed you."

"Whoah." Was all Prompto could manage, barely audible.

"And, and," Noctis' voice was shaking again "I couldn't move. I couldn't. I couldn't save you."

"I honestly don't know what to say Noct besides the fact that it was a dream. I mean you hear my voice, right?"

Noctis nodded and then realized Prompto couldn't see him, which was probably a good thing. He had streaks of tears running down his cheeks.

"Yea." Noctis managed through a sniffle.

"Tell you what, I'll stay on the phone with you until you fall asleep, okay?" Prompto offered.

"Thanks, Prom and sorry I woke you up." Noctis apologized.

He could hear Prompto stretching "No prob!" he yawned "Look like I'm the hero now!"

Noctis chuckled "You'll get yourself in a situation and Ill earn that title back."

"Yeah. Sure." Prompto said sarcastically as he laughed.

The two-continued talking about random things until they were both unable to make coherent sentences. After a while, Noctis eventually drifted off into sleep. Prompto wasn't long behind him once he noticed Noctis was sound asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Just a Friend

Noctis: Hey Prom, we're here.

Noctis sends the message as he steps out of the car to walk up to the door of his friend's house. He was still shaken up from his nightmare and was eager to see Prompto, even if it had been a dream. He had to see him.

Ignis was definitely able to tell that there had been something off with Noctis this morning but he decided to wait in pursuing any answers from the prince with the look he had received earlier. He intended to make sure to find the culprit of Noctis' weird behavior.

Just as Noctis was about to knock on the front door to Prompto's house, the door opened to reveal a cheery face that Noctis never knew he'd be so excited to see.

"Hey, dude!" Prompto smiled "Rea- Whoah!"

Prompto was completely caught off guard when he was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug he didn't quite know if he could survive from.

"Haha! Hey, man. You know I don't have a problem with hugs but you… might… just suffocate me!" He struggled to speak with the lack of air.

Noctis refused to let go but did decide to loosen his grip. "Sorry." He said into Prompto's shoulder.

"It was that real, huh?" Prompto struggled to keep his voice from quivering. He had been lucky to get any sleep last night. It's not everyday someone says you died in their dream. Prompto's had dreams like that sure, about his parents and they just about killed him every time. He just squeezed his friend tighter to reassure him that it was just a dream.

They stayed like that for a while.

"Hey, Iggy." Gladio nudged Ignis to get his full attention. "Look at this." He pointed at the two.

Ignis did so. He couldn't help but to smile at the two boys sharing an embrace.

"They've been like that for a while now." Gladio mentioned.

Ignis looked at Gladio with a serious expression "Do you think…" he trailed off into his thoughts.

Gladio just shrugged in response "Ahem! I hate to interrupt such a tender moment ladies." Gladio grins ear to ear when he notices how the two boys jump at the sound of his voice. "I don't want to be late to the gym."

"Come on." Noctis mumbles scratching the back of his neck as he turns to walk back to the car.

Prompto swore he thought he saw a hint of red on Noctis' cheeks but thought nothing more of it. Maybe it was because Noctis didn't feel well from last night? That had to be it. He then thought back to their conversation last night, _"He killed you…"_ He remembered the crack in Noctis' voice when he told him, he must've been on the verge of tears. Prompto shuttered at remembering the conversation again. Who? Who killed him? Did it even matter anymore? He didn't know how to ask and now was definitely not the right moment to bring it up. It was just a dream and it's not that important, he would keep trying to tell himself as he settled into the car.

"Good morning, Prompto!" Ignis smiles into the rearview mirror at the blonde as he begins to drive off.

"Mornin' guys." He yawned as he leaned against the window.

Most of the day, the two had succeeded at avoiding Poppy, even at lunch. Although, it had resulted in them sitting in a secluded part of the courtyard away from their friends. Now, they were at study hall, sitting at a table away from people and Poppy had definitely looked at the two more than twice.

Prompto was a mess of anxiety and he had been shaking his leg restlessly for five minutes now. He had all his nails bit down to the nub and he had even bitten too hard on one causing it to bleed a little.

"Prom, calm down." Noctis said a little irritably. He was a little annoyed by Prompto's antics but he still tried to understand his friend's feelings. "She's not looking anymore."

That was enough to calm Prompto's leg shaking but he was still nibbling at some loose skin from his index finger. "Hey Noct," he said as he stood up from his seat "I'm going to get some water, kay?"

"Mmm." Noctis mumbles before he went back down to studying. They already had a math test at the end of the week. They had one of those teachers that clearly wasted no time in making his students lives miserable.

Noctis was so caught up in trying to understand a problem that he didn't acknowledge the "Ahem!" at first.

"Noctis." It was a low and fragile voice.

He looked up to see who was bothering him when he was clearly busy. No one could mistake that blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. It was the exact person they had been trying to avoid. Poppy. Her eyes seemed a little red and a bit puffy. Had she been crying? Why should Noctis care?

"What do you want?" he said sharply.

"Can… I sit here?" she didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she sat next to Noctis anyway.

"Umm…" Noctis raised an eyebrow at her.

"Prompto isn't answering my texts or my calls. Is he avoiding me?" She said in a tone that sounded like she was genuinely confused.

Noctis rolled his eyes. She was totally playing the innocent dumb blonde with him. "Well, you kind hurt him, a lot. In case, no one's told you," Noctis wants to flat out tell her that she's a bitch but he doesn't. "can be really mean."

"He won't even let me say I'm sorry." Tears start to run down her face and before Noctis could react, she's clutching at his uniform and crying into his shirt.

Noctis had no idea how to react. He didn't want to look like a jerk, so he placed his arms loosely around her in an attempt to comfort her.

"You could start by giving him some space." He offered.

"Can you…" Poppy looks up at Noctis with pleading eyes "at least tell him I said I was sorry."

Noctis just nods without a word. He wasn't sure if he should tell Prompto or not.

Poppy grabs Noctis into a tight hug, shocking him "You're a good guy, Noctis."

"Yeah." Is all he manages once he escapees her grip scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

Poppy gets up to walk back over to continue scanning the bookshelves and Noctis lays his head down to get some rest. That girl exhausts him. Shortly after, Prompto returns to sit down next to Noctis looking more nervous than he originally did.

"Dude!" he says pulling Noctis close to talk lower. "What did she want? I hid behind the bookshelf when I saw her sitting over here!"

Noctis scratched the back of his neck "She, uh, wanted to apologize to you."

Prompto's eyes grew wide for a moment before he started laughing "Her? Apologize? Naw, she's not capable of admitting she was wrong. I bet you that you're her next target. She was totally flirting!"

Noctis raises an eyebrow and smirks "What, you jealous?"

Prompto's cheeks flush a bright red and he looks away nervously before stuttering "W-wha! No! I just know who she is and you wouldn't want that."

Noctis smirks again "I don't know. Kinda got a thing for blonde's."

Prompto has no idea why those words affect him so much. But he swears he sees Noctis lean in and he's in a full-on panic.

Noctis had no idea where this burst of confidence came from but he was sure he was making the right decision, leaning close to a kiss. Until, he opened his eyes. The room was dark now. No one was in there and where Prompto sat, was the burgundy haired man with that sly smile.

"Noctis." The man said.

"No! Go away!" Noctis tried to stand but couldn't manage to move a muscle.

"Noctis!" the maid said a little louder with what Noctis thought was a hint of concern.

"I said go away!"

"NOCTIS!" the voice was no longer the man's. It was familiar. A friendly voice with a hint of urgency. "Wake up, man!"

He opened his eyes to look up at a smiling blonde with a friendly face that calmed his nerves. But then Noctis remembers the dream. Did he kiss Prompto in his dream? No. That was in no way possible what he had tried to do. It had sure seemed like it to him.

"Hey sleepyhead, time for class." Prompto says cheerfully as he gathered his things together.

Noctis silently get up and grabs his books and backpack as well. His mind was still a little foggy from the sleep state but he followed his friend into the hallway that was flooded with students now. As they make their way to class, Noctis feels a familiar burning on his stomach.

' _Shit, here, really?'_ he curses to himself.

"Uh, hey," he says loud enough to get Prompto's attention but not loud enough for anyone for anyone else to hear. He felt like everyone knew what was happening to him but it was just his anxiety going into overdrive. "You go on to class. I've got to go to the bathroom."

"M'kay. Don't be late!" Prompto waves before walking off to class.

' _Shit. Shit! SHIT!'_

The pain was getting worse and Noctis wasn't sure if it was worth going to the third-floor restroom. The thought of anyone witnessing and getting involved terrified him, so he had to make it. He was on the second floor anyway. He just needed to make a short treck up the stairs. He would definitely be late to class though.

Noctis swears the pain get worse every time he gets a new letter and he grows even more confused. The restroom was empty the whole time Noctis had experienced the branding, thankfully. It was still hard to completely cool off the burning while trying not to get his uniform wet.

So, now Noctis is just sitting on the floor. He had wet some paper towels to press to his burning stomach and tried his best not to wet any of his uniform. There were just a couple of wet spots on his shirt.

Great! He was definitely going to be late.

"Fuck." He breathed, still in pain from the brand.

Noctis ghosted his fingers over the brand and although he could see the letters, he was able to make them out barely. His finger traced over the newest letter. He was able to make out that the unknown letter had to be a "p" or a "b".

' _Promp? Promb?'_ Noctis sighed as he cradled his face in his hands _. 'This is so confusing. That dream. It can't be Prompto? We're best friends. There's no way. Not at all.'_ He couldn't believe he was even thinking of Prompto as an option. What had gotten into him? Noctis had been well aware of his sexual curiosity for years now but he couldn't ruin the first real friendship he had made already.

Noctis was quickly taken out of his thoughts when his phone buzzed. It was a text from Prompto.

Prompto: Dude, where are you? They called you

to the office.

Noctis looked at his phone a bit confused. He was called to the office. But for what? He knew he couldn't be in trouble he was only a couple of minutes late. His thoughts quickly went to his father and his health.

His phone buzzed again.

Prompto: You okay Noct?

Noctis sighed and fixed his uniform before he replied.

Noctis: Apart from being in pain cause of another

letter and a ball of anxiety. I'm perfectly fine.

Prompto: Another letter? I can find a way to come

to you.

Oh, and they just said someone wanted

to speak to you. You're not in trouble bro.

Noctis: Nah, its fine, I'll go alone. Just text me the

Notes if I'm gone long.

"Noct, they said you weren't in your class?" Ignis eyed Noctis with concern.

"Can you lecture me later Ignis?" Noctis sighed. "Is dad okay?"

"Your father is fine but…" Ignis paused earning a confused but concerned look from Noctis. "He has to go on a trip to Niflheim in a few days. He asked me to tell you he wanted to take you to dinner at your favorite restaurant. So, to not make any other plans."

Great. His father was going to have to go on a trip. He didn't get to see him much as is and didn't trust the Niffs at all.

"You came here to tell me that?" Noctis asked. "You could've texted me."

"I did not want to put you into a panic. I know very well how you take these things and plus, you didn't seem busy."

Noctis rolled his eyes. Though Ignis was right. Noctis was already panicking.

"You'll be fine, right? I have some errands to run but I can still take you home if needed." Ignis asked full of concern.

Noctis shook his head "I'll be fine Specs." He said as he gave a wave, returning to class.

"Very well, your highness." Ignis speaks to himself. "But we will speak later."

"Noct?" Ignis was at Noctis' bathroom door now waiting for him to finish getting ready for the dinner with his father. "Are you almost ready? We need to leave in five minutes."

"Yeah! I'll be out in a minute!" Noctis shouted through the door.

He had spent the last twenty minutes trying to calm his nerves. He still never fully recovered from his nightmare the night before. Then, he had that strange dream at school that he was still trying to forget about. And now, he's come to find out that his dad was going to be gone for at least a month. It was all so much and all the breathing exercises he had been taught for his anxiety was not helping him.

Noctis looked himself in the mirror. He was pale, paler than usual. He splashed some water on his face and rubbed his cheeks. That seemed to help some.

He thought more about the dream at school. Prompto. About how he leaned in to kiss his freckled friend. But then the man was there before he woke up. Why was he always in his dreams lately? And why did they always involve cryptic messages with Prompto?

" _Dreams are just that, dreams"_ Noctis remembered the words his mother would tell him after a nightmare when he was younger. _"They are not real, Noctis. What is not real has no significant meaning and cannot hurt you."_

' _No real meaning.'_ Noctis echoed in his mind. He thought if dreams had no real meaning than he shouldn't think too much of the moment with Prompto. _'It was fake after all, he's my friend.'_

"Noct?" he heard Ignis say again with just a little more concern.

Noctis opened the door to see Ignis standing there with his _look_.

Noctis groaned "Is this about me not being in class earlier?"

Ignis shook his head "No. But it could very well be a reason of your recent behavior."

"What are you talking about?" Noctis had absolutely no idea of what Ignis was going on about.

"You've seemed, anxious lately."

"I'm fine." Noctis said quickly.

"You're not a hugger Noct. What about this morning with Prompto?" Ignis interrogated.

Noctis rolled his eyes "So, it's weird if I hug my friend? Wow. Ignis Wow."

"Noct, you think you hide your emotions well and maybe you do but know, you can't fool me."

Noctis sighed "I just had a nightmare last night, okay."

Ignis's eyes widened with concern "Another? I assume it involved Prompto in some way?"

"He, he died."

Ignis paced the room "I see, did you tell him this?"

Noctis nodded.

"And how is he taking it?"

"I," Noctis paused "I don't know actually, he didn't say much. And Iggy, the reason I wasn't in class when you came was the brand thing."

"How many letters do you have?"

Noctis spelled the letters out in his head to count "Five."

Ignis was shocked. "That's… fast." It was fast. The fastest branding process he'd ever heard of. Now, he was wondering if Noctis really did know. He couldn't be that oblivious he thought but he won't pry any deeper. "We should head to the car, wouldn't want your father waiting."

"Noctis, are you feeling well?" Regis speaks up after a moment of silence between the two. "You've hardly eaten a thing."

Noctis sighs, "I'm fine, dad. I'm just." he was hoping he wouldn't have to tell his father of the recent branding, not before his trip "Do you have to go?" He wasn't completely lying. He was not fine for a number of reasons but it was true that he was worried about his father going to Niflheim so soon.

Regis lets out a sigh himself "Now, you very well know son, that I have to go."

"But why? They're not going to agree to anything unless you're bowing down and doing what they want."

"You need not to worry yourself with such trivial matters my son." Regis pauses to take a sip of water. "These are your best years for fun and self-discovery."

Noctis snorts at the end of what his father had said. His dad should know that it is never fun being a prince when your family's morals and rulings are being questioned. And self-discovery? Noctis doesn't even understand that, there's nothing for him to discover.

"How's that boy Prompto doing?" his father changes the subject quickly before Noctis could reply to his last statement. "I like him. He's a good kid."

"He's fine." Noctis says after chewing a piece of grilled salmon. "Except, that a girl's obsessed over him." He stabs a brussels sprout with his fork to place on his father's plate, earning a look from Regis.

His father chuckles a bit after eating the sprout making Noctis want to puke. "He is an attractive young man, so I'm sure many girls are obsessed with him. Has he thought of giving her a chance?"

"No way!" Noctis says a little loudly but not too loud. "It's not a good thing when someone's obsessed with you, you know that right dad? And sorry, but she's a total psycho. Plus, he… doesn't like girls."

"Ah." Regis replies and smiles.

"What?" Noctis blurts out not realizing the heat that has turned his cheeks slightly pink from talking about his friend and the psycho obsessed with him.

"Nothing." His father continues smiling and begins eating again.

"You're so weird." Noctis says before returning to his own plate.

"Prompto!" a familiar and soft voice greets Prompto as he kicks his shoes off at the door. "Sweetie, you're home!" the woman wraps small but toned arms around Prompto's neck.

"M-mom!" he stutters in complete surprise. "I didn't know you and dad were coming home already." He was happy they were home but he was still in shock, normally they tell him when they are coming home.

Prompto's mother releases him so he now has a clear view of his father. A man with shorth brown hair and a little stubble to his face. He was injured though; his face was all bruised and cut up and his leg was in a cast. Normally, his father takes to returning dog tags of fallen hunters to their families but they are currently scattered on the coffee table. It hurt Prompto to see what must be at least ten and even more that his dad is hurt. It makes everything so surreal, that his parents really are risking their lives and it's very possible that could be their fate one day.

His mother must've noticed the worried look on his face "He just got a little roughed up." She said in a reassuring tone.

"Yea, takes more than a couple Havocdogs to put down your old man!" his father joked in his usual manner that he did.

"Why don't you sit down?" his mother said as she walked Prompto over to the living room to sit. "Tell us about school! Meet any boys?" she spoke in a typical nosey mom tone.

Prompto blushed slightly "Well, yeah," he could see the excitement in his mother's face. She was going into complete overdrive. "but not in that kind of way. He's my friend."

His dad was just as intrigued as his mom but was calmer about it. "This friend have a name?" a hint of curiosity in his tone but also with seriousness. "Incase, he hurts my boy."

Prompto groaned "You guys, it's not like that!"

"That's not what your face is saying." His mother teased pointing to her cheeks. "Well… what's his name."

Prompto groaned some more "Noctis. And for the third time, he's just my friend!"

His parents both went silent and shared a surprised look with each other. His mother turning completely pale as a ghost at the mention of the name.

"Last name?" his father speaks up.

He knew his parents would probably be shocked by this. It was making him almost dread telling his parents because it's not every day your nobody of a son just happens to be making his way to being the crown prince's best friend. Everyone always makes a big deal about royalty or celebrities.

Prompto rolled his eyes before speaking "Come on, dad. It's not a common name."

"So, we are talking 'the' Prince Noctis?" his dad knows it's a rhetorical question that he already knows the answer to but he asks more for clarity. To make it more real.

Prompto takes a deep breath in "Yes, we are. But he's just like a normal teenager. So please, just treat this like you would if I was making friends with anyone else."

"So," his mom looked at him with warm brown eyes "ask you if you think he's cute or not and if you're gonna ask him out if you do, right?" she blurted out excitedly.

"What!?" Prompto could feel his cheeks heating up "No! I can be just friends with a guy, you know?"

"Oh, we know son." His father chuckled "But the prince does resemble those guys on the posters you have on your wall that you like so much."

"I think they're called K-pop." His mother adds.

Prompto lay his head down in his palm and shakes his head. "Mom. For the thousandth time, that's the genre they sing, not the name of the band."

"Do you know if Prince Noctis is gay or even bisexual at least?" his mom leans in to speak.

"Okay, I'm going for a walk and when I come back, please, be somewhat normal." Prompto says to his parents before he's up and exiting through the front door.

His parents just sit and share giggle with one another.

"He's definitely has a crush on him! Don't ya think Dave?" Prompto's mother asks his father like she's a young and giddy school girl again.

"No doubt about it. We know that face well Monica." Dave chuckles to himself and it is far from over with interrogating his son until he admits his feelings.

Prompto's cheeks were still burning red against his cheeks in the now cool evening air. He could feel the seasons were changing and that fall was now approaching. He was stoked too, that his parents were home. Even though, it was only because his father had been injured. He just had to get out for a bit and they kept making things weird about Noctis. They did that with every guy Prompto met and his dad was always overprotective about it ever since his first and most recent relationship.

There was absolutely no way there was anything more than friendship there Prompto thought to himself. Even if Prompto happened to have a crush on Noctis, which was definitely not the case, the prince wouldn't like Prompto, a nobody. Prompto was pretty sure that even when it came to dating, royalty should like other royalty.

He was almost back to his house from walking around the block when he felt it. The familiar burning into his skin. He cursed the six for piking this moment.

He didn't want his parents to find out about this weird branding thing just yet. Not until he knew exactly what was going on. He knew he couldn't go back home just yet but he needed to ease the burning. He knew there was a small pond at the park across the street and he headed to it. The burn was getting more intense but it wasn't hurting as bad as it normally would, thankfully. Prompto didn't bother to put much thought into it. Maybe it was the cool air? Or maybe he was close to getting answers? None of it really mattered right now. He just crouched down and splashed some water on his arm. The cool water finally starting to ease the pain. As Prompto relaxed.

"I am really getting tired of this." Prompto said out loud to absolutely no one.

He was nervous to look down at the letter, he always is. He wonders if it's the name of someone he doesn't like, or if it's a girl's name, or worse, his ex. He'd hope the six wouldn't want to put him with that jerk again. He thought about if it was a girl's name. It would make all those years he spent beating himself up and fighting for acceptance within himself be in vain.

Prompto took a deep breath and pushed all his fears aside. There were two letters this time. A "c" and an "o".

' _Sitco?'_ he thought to himself and before he could think more about it, his phone buzzed.

His screen read:

Mom: Dinner's ready and its getting chilly out. :-)

Prompto laughed at the fact his mom was using an emoji. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and started back walking home. During the walk, he still couldn't figure out his brand.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Birthday Surprise

Prompto ad Noctis were in Noctis' entertainment room, playing video games and eating junk food that Ignis graciously allowed them to binge on. Prompto was lying on his stomach while he lay on the floor like he normally does when they play video games. Noctis always claimed the small sofa, though he wouldn't mind sharing it with Prompto who seemed content with being on the floor. He would claim it helped him focus on the game. So, Noctis wasn't going to complain if his friend was comfortable, even if he would fidget on the floor a lot.

Noctis had probably been the happiest he has been in a long time since he and Prompto had begun hanging out. They had become mostly inseparable most of the time. The staff at the Citadel practically treated Prompto like he lived there and no longer requested if he wanted his laundry cleaned for him. They just added it to the Prince's laundry.

Noctis had remembered Prompto telling him excitedly that his parents were going to be home until his father healed. He kept telling Prompto he should go meet his parents one weekend. He was excited to meet his best friend's parents after all of Prompto's bragging and he felt bad his friend's father was hurt trying to protect his citizens. But Prompto would always change the subject or say it'd be awkward, no matter how many times Noctis would say he didn't care. So, he thought it'd be best to just drop it until his friend was ready.

Until, he figured out his friend was hiding something from him "So," he spoke up through the silence they acquired from concentrating too hard on the game.

"So?" Prompto asked his eyes still focused on beating Noctis after losing five times.

Noctis paused the game to get Prompto's full attention "When were you going to tell me the reason you couldn't stay this weekend was because it's your birthday that I guess I wasn't invited to." His tone had a bit of humor to it. He wasn't mad after all, just confused that his friend hadn't bothered to mention it to him.

Prompto looked back at Noctis with a nervous expression "How did you?"

Noctis shrugged "I might have snooped when I saw a text from your mom." He blushed a little to admit he was being nosey "Wanted to make sure it wasn't an emergency and saw the text about your birthday dinner."

"So that's why it said read!" Prompto sat up cross legged now, looking at Noctis with slightly tinted cheeks.

"You were the one who gave me your passcode." He thumped his friend's forehead gently and smirked.

Prompto groaned "It's just a dinner Noct, and my birthday's really not anything to make a big deal about." He started chewing on his lip nervously "I never celebrate it."

He hated that someone as wonderful as him thought he didn't deserve a party. Noctis had come to learn since they met that Prompto struggles with anxiety a great deal, the blonde had just managed to hide it a lot better than he could.

He looked down caringly at Prompto, a smiling forming at the corner of his lips "That changes this year."

"Huh?" Prompto looked at Noctis confused and wide eyed as Noctis nodded.

"Ignis has already told your parents the plan and they're coming here for the party."

"Wa- what?" Prompto stuttered "Dude!" he was interrupted by a hand covering his mouth before he could even protest.

"Nope." Noctis shook his head. "You're not getting out of this one. Oh! Almost forgot!" he got up from the sofa and walked over to grab a box wrapped in Chocobo wrapping paper that had been covered up the whole time by his jacket.

Prompto leaned over to get a glimpse of what was in Noct's hands "What's that?" Prompto always felt guilty accepting gifts, he never felt he deserved them. What has he even done for Noct to want to care enough to give him a gift anyway?

Noctis sat down on the floor next to Prompto "Your present." He handed the wrapped box over to Prompto and smiled a giddy little smile at the blonde. He was sure Prompto was going to love the gift. "I wanted to give it to you early."

"Noct…" Prompto started.

"Just open it, dork." Noctis interrupted.

"Pretty sure you shouldn't bully me before my birthday." Prompto said sarcastically.

"How about… Just open it sunshine, then."

"Not better but okay." Prompto blushed and sighed before looking down at the box in his lap. He slowly began to tear at the paper that seemed to go on forever and even switched to moogle wrapping paper. He looked at Noctis who just giggled.

"That was Iris' idea." Noctis pointed out "She wrapped it for me. I couldn't wrap anything to save my life but it does end I promise."

Prompto's eyes were as wide as saucers when he finally got to the end of the endless paper. "Noct." Was all he could say when he saw the box.

Noctis was grinning ear to ear now like he was an excited little kid who had made his parents proud "Take it out." He said eagerly.

Prompto looked at Noctis in terror "What… what if I break it?"

Noctis shrugged "I made sure it was made Prompto proof. Plus, it's got the best warranty on it. So, don't worry Prom."

Prompto just stared at the box for a couple of minutes in awe before taking the slick black device out of the box. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to but he was so afraid he would break it somehow, even if Noctis just said it was Prompto proof. He just knew he'd find a way to break it into a million of tiny pieces just by touching it. Prompto gulped and pushed back the fear and opened the box to see his shiny new toy and he cursed himself for feeling wetness on his eyes. He grabbed his new camera and held it out to admire it. It was the newest version, a Polaroid iE 3035W and was the exact one that he always told Noctis he wanted when they would pass the electronics shop.

"Do you like it?" Noctis spoke up. He sounded nervous. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

"Dude, no I don't like it." He paused and saw the hurt on Noctis' face form and he couldn't tease him. "I fucking, oops, trying not to cuss man. But I love it so much!" he moved to wrap his arms around his best friend in a hug. After he placed his new camera down, of course. "I… Noct, it's amazing! You're…amazing." He blushed for an unknown reason.

Noctis ruffled the blonde's hair as they broke apart "I am, aren't I?" he said smugly.

Prompto fiddled with the controls on his camera until he started to figure them out. The camera had way more options than the old outdated one he used for yearbook. Once he figured the settings out he turned the lens towards him and leaned his head on Noctis' shoulder to snap a selfie. The two boys grinning ear to ear. Prompto flipped the camera around so that they could look at the picture. The angle was a little off but their faces were still in the picture and Prompto just smiled at it. He was totally going to need to get it printed out.

"Hey, Noct?" Prompto spoke lightly but loud enough for Noctis to still hear him.

"Hm?"

"Thanks." He blushed. He knew he probably sounded stupid making such a big deal over a camera. "This really does mean a lot."

Noctis nodded and shoved the blonde's shoulder playfully "Don't thank me. Hey, wanna test it out in our secret place." He and Prompto had made it pretty regular to go to the park through the secret entrance whenever they didn't want to be found. They truly were like little children when they were together and constantly giving Ignis mini heart attacks.

"Do I ever!" Prompto was already getting up and making his way out and Noctis followed.

"Hey, Noct! Pose over there by that tree!" Prompto pointed over to a tree that had decorations hanging from them unlit. They must've forgotten to take them down from last Christmas since it was only October.

"What? Why?" Noctis said looking at his fried with a confused expression.

"Because, I need a good-looking model for my photography portfolio! Now go stand over there!" Prompto playfully shoved Noctis in the direction of the tree.

"What was that?" Noctis looked back at Prompto playfully who was now blushing at the realization of what he had just said.

"Uh, nothing!" he waved off the conversation and readied his camera.

"Right." Noctis said slowly and winked at Prompto playfully.

"Ooh, let me get this shot!" Prompto's camera clicked as he spoke. Okay, the picture might not be angled just right and the pose may be a little too flirty of Insomnia's Crown Prince but he was going to keep it anyway. Totally not weird. And totally not because he thought Noct looked kind of cute. Nope, no way. "Now do something sassy!"

Noctis flipped his hair dramatically and it took everything in Prompto not to burst out laughing "I'm the Prince of Sass." Now, Noctis was trying not to burst into laughter as he cocked his hip to the side while his hand rested on his hip as he looked to his side.

Prompto's camera clicked again "Got it. Maybe you should be a model instead of a Prince."

Noctis scoffed as he shifted into another pose. He placed his foot on a rock next to the tree he was standing by so his knee was hoisted up enough for his elbow to rest on his knee. Most of his hand was shielding his face. Not in a shy way but a more of a _'I'm hot and I know it'_ way.

Prompto licked his lips. Did he think Noctis looked almost _'sexy'_ like that? With the way, the lights of the twilight sky shone and illuminated his skin tone and feature in all the right places. He looked at his brand that was mostly covered now.

He thought about it for a second before shaking his head. _'No way. It had to be someone else who maybe has a similar name. And whatever I've been feeling needs to stop, I'm not gonna ruin this damnit!'_

"Dude, you gonna take the picture already? My arms are getting tired." Noctis yelled, bringing the blonde back into reality.

"O- oh yeah! Just a sec!" he positioned the angel of his camera just right and… click! "Got it!"

Noctis instantly relaxed "Good, let's get back. Iggy'll freak if he notices we slipped off again." He began walking back with his friend.

"What could we be doing that's so bad though? It's not like we're off getting freaky or something!" Prompto giggled at the end of his sentence.

Noctis laughed so hard he practically snorted "Knowing Iggy," he paused for a moment to get his breath back from the laughing "that would actually cross his mind as a possibility. Then he'd scold us for probably everything about it." Noctis was trailing off on some words and sounded nervous "Not that he's against it though cause you know."

Prompto nodded. He knew Noct was most likely talking about Ignis and his somewhat secret relationship with Gladio but he also wished he'd heard the part Noctis trailed off at or maybe he doesn't.

The two spent most of the way back joking about what Ignis could possibly accuse them of doing. Prompto mentioned that Ignis might've changed his mind about him and thought he was a bad influence by taking Noctis off to get high, which they have talked about before. Noctis was totally fine with his friend hitting it every once in a while, but he doubted he could hide it as well as Prompto does. Noctis mentioned Ignis could accuse them of stealing one of his dirty magazines when it really would have been Gladio… again.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Happy Birthday Prom!

"What the hell?" Noctis said aloud to himself. "Where am I?"

He found himself to be in a dark and old warehouse. It was full of rusty old tools and saws from what Noctis could see. Where was he and how did he end up here? He had no reconciliation of how he had gotten here. He had just been asleep in his bed with Prompto.

' _Oh, no.'_ Noctis was panicking in his own head. Prompto wasn't there with him. _'Where's Prom?'_

"Ow!" Noctis shouted in in pain almost instantly as he walked into a heavy chain that had almost managed to knock him down.

"Careful Noct, you wouldn't want to get hurt. Would you know?" That same voice he had grown to hate came from the darkness. "Especially, when your little blonde boy toy is in danger."

Noctis heard a scream within the warehouse but couldn't pin point where the sound had come from.

"W-what?" Noctis was gritting his teeth and balling up his fists in anger. "It's more than just that!" he had said the words before he had even registered what they meant. "And you know what?" Noctis was shouting so loud his voice would echo at times. "Stop being a coward and show yourself! I swear if you've hurt him…"

"Aha! So, you do love the boy?" the man spoke in an almost sing-song like voice but refused to come out from the shadows when Noctis insisted him to. "A shame he'll have to die then but he has just been a terrible nuisance to me and my daughter."

"Why you!" Noctis growled as he summoned his sword to swing at the darkness the voice had come from. There had been no one for him to make contact with and so he just fell to the ground with a thud. "Where are you!? What are you even talking about!? Prompto wouldn't hurt anyone!"

Another scream erupted from the distance but still close enough Noctis knew it came from within the building.

"Oh no! You should really check on him and see if he's still breathing." The man chuckled until his voice trailed off and it was enough to make Noctis sick. Who would even want to hurt someone as innocent as Prompto? And Noctis couldn't wrap his head around the man saying Prompto had been bothering his daughter. That just wasn't Prompto.

Noctis shook himself from his thoughts and stood up to brush the debris off his clothes. _'Gotta find Prompto!'_

As Noctis started walking, he heard a faint voice "Noct." It was Prompto's and it was softer than his normal tone.

Noctis still couldn't find where Prompto's voice had been coming from, so he stumbled through the darkness. Hoping, just hoping to see that blonde hair and those happy violet-blue eyes and just squeeze him in a hug that he wants to last forever.

"Noct!" he had heard Prompto's voice louder and clearer this time, so he believed he had to be getting closer to finding him and he began to run at a speed he never knew he had.

"Noctis! Wake up dude, you're squeezing me to death!"

Noctis was confused. How was he squeezing Prompto? He didn't even see him, but his friend's voice sounded like he was right there and in fact, being squeezed. The room faded to complete darkness and he felt warmth under his arm that he was clinging tighter to now.

"Ugh! You seriously sleep like a brick!" he heard Prompto grumble. "Sorry Noct, you leave me no choice." Prompto warned in a playful tone hoping that that would stir the sleeping prince but nothing and then he pinched Noctis' arm.

Noctis' eyes shot open as he yelped at the unexpected pain in his arm. He noticed he was clinging tightly to Prompto, clearly causing his friend some discomfort. He decided to loosen his grip but didn't let go entirely.

Prompto now had enough room to roll over so he could face Noctis "Sorry man, but you wouldn't let go and you were literally squeezing the life from me!"

"S- sorry." Noctis said shyly. He noticed his arm was still draped over his best friend and he pulled it away quickly, his cheeks turning a bright red. "Sorry. Again."

Prompto shrugged "It's fine." and did he look a little sadder now that Noct's arm was no longer wrapped around him. Noctis must be seeing things. "Another nightmare?" Prompto asked in concern. Noctis' nightmares were a common thing now, but it still worried him.

Noctis just nodded with a strange expression on his face that Prompto couldn't read.

Prompto nudged a bit closer without really thinking about it. Noctis could practically feel his breath from their newly found closeness. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Nah." Noctis responded as he shook his head. "It's your birthday, so don't worry about it. Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday Prom." Noctis said smiling before he sat up but Prompto could see the distress behind his friend's smile.

"You shouldn't bottle things up though." Prompto moved to sit next to Noctis at the end of the bed, their legs brushing against each other and the friction was enough to make Noctis stomach do flips that he could understand. "Even if it hurts me," Prompto continued. "I can handle it. It helps to talk sometimes ya know. I'm always here, ever at your side."

Noctis shook his head "I'll be fine." He stood up to walk over to stand in the doorway of his bathroom. "It's like you said, they're just nightmares." He slips through the doorway, so he can brush his teeth.

Prompto followed him in and grabbed the spare toothbrush Ignis had placed in the bathroom since his overnight stays had become pretty common at times. He even stayed a full week a couple of weeks ago. "I guess so." He said with a sound of shame that Noct took that personally. "but you have some pretty messed up ones and that looked like one of them. Please, tell me I didn't die this time?"

Noctis shook his head in response to the question "They'll pass, eventually. They did when I was younger."

Prompto wanted to press on but he knew Noctis. His best friend wasn't going to talk to him about it until he was ready, but he still found it strange how Noctis had been so open about the others and now he didn't share a single detail. His nightmares had calmed some over the past few weeks but they all had the same focus in some way when he mentioned them. They involved the strange man, darkness, and Prompto. Prompto never understood why he was always in them but frankly, he didn't want to find out if there was an answer.

Prompto shrugged his thoughts away and joined Noctis in brushing their teeth.

Noctis looked over at Prompto's reflection and noticed his brand. The brand the blonde usually hid with a wristband or with various bracelets when they weren't in school. He had never asked him about his brand nor had he ever asked to see it, he just knew they both got there's at the same time. Noctis had to squint to try and read it through Prompto's movements but he managed to make out "octis" and swore he could see a faded N like it hadn't quite made an indention in his skin yet. A part of him felt happy if he did see an N but another part cursed him for even thinking that. There was no way it was his name.

' _So, you do love the boy?'_ played in his head in the man's exact voice that he'd grown to hate so much.

' _I do, but in a total friend way.'_ He told himself. 'Right?' he remembered his own brand and how he thought the spelling had been strangely familiar to Prompto's name. He started questioning if there could be anything more. _'No, there's no way. Besides, Prompto's never shown any interest. He just jokes a lot. Yea, jokes.'_

Noctis felt Prompto's arm that wasn't using the toothbrush brush against his. He spit his toothpaste out at the sudden rush that he felt from the touch, splattering it all over his sink and some on his mirror. He felt like his cheeks were actually going to burst into flames.

Prompto had jumped a bit at Noct's behavior and spit his own toothpaste into the sink before looking at his friend. "What was that about?"

"Nothing." Noctis said sharply after wiping his face off with a towel and leaving the bathroom to get dressed, leaving Prompto completely confused at what had just happened.

Noctis was glad Ignis kept his promise to keeping Prompto's party small because not only would Prompto feel uncomfortable with many people but Noctis could barely handle being around the amount of people who were already there. It was only Prompto's parents who kept smiling at Noctis when he was with Prompto which he totally didn't understand, Noctis' father Regis who adored talking with Dave and Monica as it seemed, Gladio and Iris which they had been giggling over something again in Noctis and Prompto's direction, and of course, Ignis himself when he wasn't in the kitchen. They had already done most of the celebration, the dinner, gifts, and the cake. Everyone was now off to themselves, having small conversations of their own and enjoying Ignis' delicious chocobo themed cake.

Noctis and Prompto were sitting down at the table while Prompto kept stealing icing from the back side of the cake. He knew he was going to have to run a marathon to burn off these calories and he may just drag Noctis along, so he would suffer too.

He looked over to Noctis who had barely even touched his own cake and was just picking at it. "Hey, buddy. Everything okay?" the concern in his voice had been overpowered by nerves. What was with Noctis? Surely, Prompto hadn't done anything wrong, that he knows of. "You love sweets, especially cake but you've barely touched yours. That's an offense to Iggy's cooking."

Noctis didn't respond. Instead, he was off in his own thoughts. _'Prompto's actually really cute, I bet everyone feels this way around him. Yea, cute people do that to people. I definitely don't like him other than as a friend.'_

"Noct! Helloo!" Prompto waved his hand in front of Noctis' face finally getting his attention.

"Huh?" Noctis looked up at Prompto a little startled and blushed slightly. "Oh, yea I'm fine."

"Liar. Come on." Prompto got up from his seat and grabbed Noctis by his arm to practically drag him across the room.

"Wha!" Noctis had been taken off guard by the sudden movement. "Where are we going?"

"To talk." Prompto said looking back at Noctis but still dragging him by the wrist now. He waved over at Iris who was getting more punch and she bounded over as soon as Prompto had got her attention.

"What's up guys?" She asked in her usual energetic tone.

"If Iggy asks, can you tell him I took Noct to his room because he felt sick?"

Iris looked at the two a bit skeptical of them "He doesn't look sick, just moody as always."

She earned a glare from Noctis and she just giggled.

"Just cover for us, 'kay?"

Iris shook her head "Sneaking off at your own party?"

"It's not like that. Come on, its important." Prompto begged.

"Okay but Iggy's gonna try and check on Noct."

"Then stall. Tell him not to worry and that I'll take care of him."

"M'kay but don't be gone for too long whatever it is. I can only do so much before he gets Gladdy to get answers from me."

"Thanks, you're the best. Come on Noct." Prompto continued to drag Noctis by the wrist.

"Seriously, where are we going?" Noctis tried to ask calmly but couldn't control the beating of his heart. He didn't even understand why it was beating so fast.

Prompto looks back at Noctis but continues to walk. "Our secret place. You're gonna tell me what's wrong."

There was still some light out, but the sun would be done setting soon. The two had found a bench under a tree to sit down at to talk. It was one of the trees that still had the lights decorating it. So, they still had some light.

There was a silence between the two and while Prompto was the one who would normally fidget around, he was fairly calm. Noctis was the one to keep adjusting how he was sitting and fidget his hands. He had been struggling with the strange feelings he didn't understand off and on but today had been the first where they refused to calm.

Prompto was the one to break the silence with a sigh. "What's with you Noct?" he sounded almost irritated, but his voice mainly carried concern. "My birthday is basically over, do just tell me."

Noctis looked down at his hands to avoid eye contact. "I don't know."

"Dude, no. That's not gonna cut it." Prompto said to Noctis sternly as he shook his head. "We won't leave until you tell me, and it'll be your fault when Ignis has the whole kingdom search for us thinking I kidnapped you or something."

Noctis sighed and looked Prompto in his eyes with worry. Why was he thinking about how good Prompto's skin looked in this light? And why did he keep looking at his lips? He was pretty sure that wasn't normal. Noctis had been so confused lately about so many things, his feelings being one of them and he didn't have the answer to any of them.

Prompto could tell Noctis was spiraling "Noct." He placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort to bring him back.

"I- I feel like my nightmares have been trying to tell me something, well two things really." Noctis sputtered in the beginning but the rest came out agonizingly slow.

Prompto just stared at Noctis in confusion and concern with his hand still on his friend's shoulder. "Like what?"

Noctis looked away from Prompto. Here he was, about to say everything he's been keeping inside from the nightmares to his strange feelings. He was going to sound like a complete loser but at least no one could witness his embarrassment.

He took a deep breath "I feel like they're… trying to tell me that you're in danger and I get really worried sometimes."

Prompto's eyes widened at what he had just heard "Noctis, no offense but that's kinda crazy. Psychic dreams aren't real, and no one's tried to hurt me. I'm right here and perfectly fine, and you're always with me, most of the time anyway."

Noctis looked down at his hands in his lap "I know it sounds crazy and stupid, but they're really scary and they feel so real. I didn't even know I was dreaming until you woke me up this morning." He took a moment to pause and take a deep breath. "I just don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. I- you're really important to me Prompto."

"Noct," Prompto said as he grabbed Noctis' chin to turn his face so that he was facing Prompto again. Noctis slowly brought his eyes up to Prompto's. He swore he saw the blonde's eyes darted to his lips and he blushed, but he didn't think about it much.

Prompto let any of his walls that he'd built in order to not screw up the friendship down because they were both leaning in without thinking. The only thing the blonde knew right now that he was screaming internally because by the gods he didn't expect Noct to be leaning in too.

Their lips didn't even touch the first time they leaned in. The angel had been completely off, and they ended up bumping noses instead. Noctis cursed himself and felt like he had screwed it up until Prompto tilted his head to the side just a bit more and leaned back in. This time their lips finally connected in a soft and gentle kiss. Noctis lifted his hand to Prompto's that had moved from his chin to his cheek in the moment.

When the kiss broke, the two boys just stared at each other. Prompto still had his hand on Noctis' cheek moving little circles with his thumb while Noct's hand still covered his. It was a simple but sweet way to show his affection. They both just sat in silence, not bothering to say a word or move and just continued to stare into each other's eyes until Noct's phone went off.

They broke out of their trance so that Noctis could see who was calling him since it could be an ear-full from Ignis and gods forbid he ignore a phone call from Ignis. Luckily, it wasn't Ignis but was Iris instead. Maybe they would survive.

Noctis slid his finger across the screen to answer it "Hello?" Prompto could only hear Iris' voice muffled. "Okay. Yeah, we'll be there in five minutes." Noctis said before finally hanging up.

"How in trouble are we?" Prompto asked.

"If we make it to my room before Specs does and I can convince him I'm sick, then we should only get a small lecture for not telling him."

"Dude, let's go then. I so don't want to explain this to Ignis."

"Same here." Noctis agreed as they both stood up to return to the citadel. "Oh, hey Prom." Noctis stopped walking and Prompto turned around to do the same. Noctis leaned in to place a kiss on the blonde's cheek. "Happy Birthday again. Sorry I was moody for most of it though." He apologized as his cheeks blushed.

Prompto smiled and grabbed Noctis' hand to intertwine their fingers together "Yea, that was kinda jerky, but I think you made it up. Now, come on." He tugged Noctis so that they were almost jogging back to the entrance.


End file.
